SCSU ensures security measures

Robin Glynn – Staff Writer –

After the Sandy Hook tragedy and the fast spread word of events, victims and possible suspects began to hit social media.

On Dec. 14 and the days and weeks to follow, there was no escaping Sandy Hook. My Facebook news feed was filled with photos of the victims. But for one man, he had enough and decided to say something about it.

According to TMZ, Kyle Bangayan posted threats on Facebook the same day as the Sandy Hook tragedy and he claimed he was targeting L.A. schools.

Bangayan allegedly wrote, “No really America, if you post one more Facebook post about the shooting at that elementary school, I swear to whatever f**king god you believe in that I will do the same goddamn thing.”

He went on to talk of guns, his incentive and that he would not commit suicide, rather he would continue on going from school to school. He was arrested after police were tipped off about his rant and police found six semi-auto handguns, two rifles and one shotgun in his bedroom at his parents’ house. Bangayan was released and the L.A. County District Attorney said no charges would be filed, because the threats were not specific.

Even with threats, people will question whether or not schools are safer; I believe they are as safe as they can be. Thinking back at my time in high school, we had police officers that were assigned to my school. The officers built relationships with the students. If a fight broke out and the officers came, the fight would end quickly. If the officers gave students advice, they took it. I think that my school was a safer place.

Today, with the tragedy at Sandy Hook and other schools, and threats that are made, schools are prepared as much as they can be for a situation. Schools have taken the initiative to reevaluate their emergency plans.

I previously worked at a preschool and I know we would have been safe had something like this happened.

The preschool at Gateway Community College former Long Wharf location had two doors; one was the main door and the other was for emergencies. The main door was always locked and there was a camera outside the preschool so the front desk could see who was at the door. If you were not recognized or did not have a password to get in, the front desk spoke to you through a speaker.

But is Southern safe? Being a college and not an elementary or high school, people are free to come and go on campus. On Jan. 10, Joseph Dooley, University Police Chief, sent a letter out to the university community saying, “Security questions have been among the issues that are uppermost on everyone’s minds.”

Dooley said while Southern is committed to maintaining a secure campus environment, it is important to be vigilant and attentive when it comes to public safety. There are steps to be taken should there ever be an intruder on campus, including staying out of sight of the doors and windows, and barricading the door; something that teachers did at Sandy Hook.

Should there be an emergency, Southern is prepared to get word to students through a variety of ways. A siren or public address system, including emergency blue phones, email, the University Website and SCSU Alert; which provides emergency text, email, and voice messages.

Southern and most other schools and places are prepared for emergencies as much as they can be. At Sandy Hook, they had a lot of drills to prepare for a situation that they were in. Each situation is different, but preparedness is important and Southern is prepared as much as they can be.