The Union interviewed students and faculty on campus to get their perspective on safety and the Monday, Sept. 10 arrest of an El Camino College student.

Ernest Cranmer, 43, was arrested two days after allegedly leaving a message that read, “I FEEL LIKE I’M GONNA BUST THIS COLLEGE ONE FUCKIN DAY 2 GET U ALL WITH A GUN.”

El Camino College Police Department did not release a campus advisory until Friday, Sept. 14, four days after the arrest and almost a week from when the first threats were made.

James Luhrsen

James Luhrsen, 18, videography major, said in regards to the Cranmer situation, “I feel like they handled it properly; if not many people knew about it then they did fine.”

“Some people might want to be informed but I don’t care as long as it is under control,” Luhrsen added.

Ronnie Samayoa

Ronnie Samayoa, 29, radiology technologist, said he is aware El Camino College, like anywhere, is not a crime free zone.

“In general, I don’t feel like super safe here. I kind of have this feeling that there could be a shooting at any time,” he said. “The peripherals of the campus, it’s not super dangerous, but there’s potential there.”

“I understand the police don’t want to cause a panic but that would make more sense if we didn’t live in the state we live now, if I hear there is a threat, I’m not even that surprised but I would like to know there’s a threat,” he said in regards to the delay of the campus advisory.

Samayoa has received many campus advisories in the past semesters including one about a student being robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot, he said.

Despite this, Samayoa said the El Camino College Police Department is doing a “pretty good job” patrolling campus.

“Every time I’m walking the campus, I at least come across one or two if not the actual police, the cadets,” he said.

Tais Signorelli

Tais Signorelli, 18, undeclared major said, “I feel safe but knowing information was delayed, it’s concerning.”

Signorelli said she has not seen anything promoting safety and police could do a lot more to inform students.

“I vaguely see them around,” she said.

Jacqueline Rodas

“Nothing has happened to me so far, so I feel pretty safe because I’m in the classroom all the time or somewhere where there is a lot of people around,” Jacqueline Rodas, 18, cosmetology major said. “But at points, I am still on guard because I can’t really trust anyone, I don’t know them.”

Solymar Portillo

Solymar Portillo, 18, nursing major, said she feels safe knowing there is a police department on campus.

Portillo said she feels safe because police are on campus often.

Josephine Rodas

“I guess at night, when people come out of studying, there’s not much patrol but normally I feel alright. I haven’t encountered anything,” Josephine Rodas, 21, nursing major said.

After night classes, Rodas said she feels “a little on edge,” while demonstrating how she puts her keys in between her fingers as a self-defense method. “Just in case somebody tries something,” she said.

Anna Mavromati

English professor, Anna Mavromati said that the police presence on campus is comforting but feels it “can’t hurt to promote more safety programs.”

In regards to night classes at El Camino College, Mavromati said it is a little “creepy” at night, referring to the campus as “uncomfortable.”

Chief of Police Michael Trevis

Although El Camino College’s Chief of Police Michael Trevis said there was some “miscommunication” that led to the delay of information, Trevis encourages everyone on campus to speak out if something suspicious is happening, he said.

“I understand that what may be suspicious to one person might not seem suspicious to another,” Trevis said. “See something, say something.”

“What our officers try to do is maintain a high level of visibility on campus,” Trevis said. “You’ll see us patrolling in the patrol cars, some officers are on foot.”

“We do try our best. We have a very good response time,” Trevis said.”Our officers are trained in first-aid, they’re trained in dealing with high-stress situations. We’re very astute to what goes on on the campus.”

For more information on campus safety visit www.elcamino.edu/about/depts/police/CrimePrevention/campussafety.aspx