Satire – The video above was released by York University in May 2011.
Jacob Pacey
Contributor
In the wake of a number of recent high profile security incidents at York, university officials recently released a new infomercial on YouTube that has resulted in campus crime dropping by 95 per cent. While some were initially skeptical that the infomercial, originally designed to simply dampen concerns over campus security for prospective first-year students, would have any real effect on actually improving campus security, many were shocked that campus crime has actually dropped to an all-time low as a result of the video.
While it is not yet perfectly clear how the drop was made possible, many are pointing to the fact that the video informed students of York’s numerous security services that students had previously been unaware of.
“I didn’t have any idea York had so many security options in place,” says second-year biology student Ahmed Sedira.
“Before I watched the video, I didn’t even know York had security officers, since I hadn’t seen any around.
“But after watching the video, I’m much safer,” explains Sedira, referring to Keele campus’s force of security guards who work rotating shifts, leaving a handful of guards to watch over the sprawling four-square-kilometre campus, one of the largest in Canada.
Michelle Lee, a third-year sociology student, echoed similar sentiments.
“When I was on campus late at night I used to just walk everywhere, which I know is pretty dangerous, but after I watched it [the security infomercial], I learned about the GoSafe program,” Lee says. “Now I just stand in one spot and wait alone late at night for 20 to 40 minutes to get a foot patrol escort of take the shuttle bus home to the Village.”
“Who knew that a video that simply reiterated what existing programs are already in place would have such a drastic result at making the campus safer,” adds Lee.
For its part, York administration has been quick to take credit for the inadvertent result of what was originally just a public relations move; however, not everyone is happy with the recent improvements in campus safety.
One local burglar, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed grave concern over how the already existing security measures which he had not previously known about might affect his livelihood.
“To be completely honest, I never knew that York had both cameras and lights,” offers the burglar, while watching the video on YouTube in his Jane and Finch home. “This is a pretty big blow for me.”
“I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to rob people when they have that,” he muses, while throwing on a large, black, hooded sweatshirt.
Despite the bad news for some elements of the community, York administration has predicted that campus safety will continue to improve as more students watch the video. Unfortunately, there still remains a large group of students who have yet to see the video due to having their laptops stolen during the preceding school year.
Jacob Pacey has laid out his take on York security’s response to crime on campus, what do you think about York security?
