EC should do what is necessary to ensure safety on campus, but there comes a point where good intentions go too far and are not necessary.
It seems like EC is spending money on riot gear such as ballistic shields and 24 gas mask simply because we can. Instead of spending such money on things this school does not need, we could be better spending it on other areas of safety such as maybe more campus surveillance cameras or just training new officers in updated procedures.
The four entry ballistic shields will cost the school $26,000. This is way too much money that could definitely be going into all kinds of other programs to promote safety.
It’s frightening for some students even to find out the things EC is buying for their safety. Unless they really believe that EC is the type of school where madgunmen are going to turn the campus into a firing range, then that money could hire more officers or add lights and cameras to the darker areas of campus, like by the old parking lot, perhaps.
Buying the 24 gas masks just shows how ready EC is for chemical warfare, but, once again, should the idea that EC being a possible target for chemical warfare or a chemical attack be a real concern?
We could use that money to create an even better campus safety escort service since EC has many students taking classes at night and there are only so many shuttles. It could buy a few more shuttles to transport students.
The center of EC’s problem on campus is not riot prevention and the “elephant in the room” situation of a student going on a shooting spree, the problem we should be focusing on is how EC has had three sexual assaults in the past two years ago on campus. That’s three very serious cases that still remain unresolved.
EC is still struggling to create a functional way to protect students from sexual assault and that is something that should be at the center of any talks of making the campus safer not what kind of riot gear should be purchased next.
When it comes to campus safety, students should come first. It’s time for EC to be realistic on how it should protect its safety. Thinking that EC is about to be a war zone is not in the best interest of the students.