November Campus Security report

By Diana Lyuber

Campus Security had their hands full this November, with incidents ranging from drunken bar fights to public (drunken) urination, to a Peeping Tom creeping around Cascade Hall.


A Peeping Tom was tracked down after the residents of Cascade Hall complained of a male culprit peering into the windows of their rooms. Calgary police were called and a known offender in the area was charged with Trespass by Night.


Comparatively, the Den was calm in November, with only two fights. Officers broke up one dispute that left a young male with injuries to his nose and face. Another assault was caught on tape by security cameras on the south side of MacEwan Hall.


“It was a good-size fight,” recalled Campus Security Manager Lanny Fritz. “We had it all on tape and were able to hand it over to Calgary Police. It resulted in [the offender] getting charged.”


Mistaking the Royal Bank office for a washroom after one too many at the Den, a male culprit was seen urinating on the lower level of MacEwan Center by Campus Security Dispatch.


“We gave him a mop and a bucket and told him to clean it up,” said Fritz.


Most concerts in November went off with only minor disturbances like crowd surfing, but not all. A mellowed-out Tea Party fan had to be removed from the MacEwan ballroom with joint still in hand. A large quantity of marijuana was found on the subject, who was later charged with possession.


Having such a large concert space, and a busy bar, leaves room for potential disturbances.


“We draw a lot of people from off-campus because of this,” Fritz explained, adding that these people are responsible for the bulk of campus disturbances. “We get very little problems from actual students.”


Campus Security also dealt with several medical calls this November. EMS had to be called when a female victim tripped over an unattended book bag and struck her head on a bench.


A hockey player with the Dinos Women’s team began having heart palpitations during practice and was taken to the hospital for further treatment. Another sports-related incident occurred when a retired male employee fell while working out on a treadmill. Overall, it was a busy month, but nothing Campus Security hasn’t handled before. The busiest time always occurs between September and November, according to Fritz.


“We’ve got 5,000 new students on campus in those first months,” he said. “It takes awhile for them to settle into their routine and studies.”


Fritz remarked that December has been relatively calm so far, which is common.

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