The Current Online

by DENISE FRIEND-COYAZO

It’s 6:08 a.m. on a Thursday. Longview security officer Paul Gorham begins his
daily ritual of unlocking the doors and collecting credit card advertisements that aren’t allowed on campus. Shortly thereafter, he patrols the parking lots.
On this morning, the campus is, overall, quiet. While patrolling the parking lots, Gorham notices a trunk slightly ajar and closes it. He makes a note on his hand held recorder. A few students have forgotten to turn off the lights on their vehicles, Gorham notes.
Upon returning to the security office Gorham field calls and completes his report. These are some of the many tasks that security officers deal with each day.
In addition, the security office maintains a lost and found. Just one of the many items is a cell phone that has been held since 1999. Textbooks, eyeglasses, and miscellaneous other items are also among the found. Officer Don Green is amazed that students never claim these often expensive lost items.
Tame as this may seem, Longview security officers have real problems amid their daily rituals. One of the problems they face is that many Longview students fail to register their vehicles and obtain parking passes. During the first week of April, a student’s car caught fire in the parking lot. Security was unable to reach the owners of the cars surrounding the burning vehicle because the cars were not registered.
Another potential threat to every student at Longview is theft and vandalism. According to security manager Lyle Koch, “Students are leaving open cars, leaving purses and CDs visible. They also fail to remove the faces off of their CD players.” Koch adds, “Students must have a level of awareness.”
Theft and vandalism are not the only costs that could be incurred by students. An unfortunate incident occurred March 5, when all of the tires on the security vehicles were slashed. This was not an isolated incident—it was the second time in six months. In November, two tires on one of the security vehicles were slashed. The cost of replacing all the tires totals nearly $1,000. Ultimately, these costs are passed on to students and taxpayers.
While Longview generally appears to be plagued only by long lines at the four-way stop, it harbors the same crimes as any neighborhood of 7,000. Koch suggests that by taking precautions and increasing awareness students can help prevent becoming victims.