Students on the University of British Columbia Okanagan had a uncommon probability to speak something and every thing police-associated with RCMP officers on campus Monday morning.
It was a part of the Coffee with a Cop, which provides the general public the prospect to have interaction with police.
“We know that they’re a actually precious service,” stated Cade Desjarlais, scholar union vice-president exterior. “And they’ve plenty of connections and interactions with our college students and so it’s necessary that we’ve got these sort of casual settings the place our college students get to fulfill an RCMP officer and sort of get a story behind, you already know, the uniform.”
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In this case, it was UBC Okanagan that requested the occasion to happen on campus.
“We actually need to simply have college students and workers engaged with the RCMP, ask them some questions that they’ve all the time wished to ask a police officer and simply sort of break down that barrier to know that RCMP are right here as buddies and as safety,” stated Robyn Boffy, the group security supervisor at UBC-O.
Fatima Canales is a world scholar from Mexico. She welcomed the chance to talk with the RCMP.
Her space of concern is the Okanagan Rail Trail, which she makes use of repeatedly to get to class however doesn’t all the time really feel secure on.
“When it’s darker, I really feel very weak there,” Canales stated.
Igancio Benito, a third-12 months microbiology scholar, additionally had a prolonged chat with one of many officers.
He wished to thank them for the work they do and study extra in regards to the challenges they face.
“Their experiences dealing with folks, with the problems that plague our group, versus the problems I see as a civilian on my everyday,” Benito stated.
While subjects of conversations different and even included some college students asking about careers in regulation enforcement, security was high of thoughts for many, particularly within the wake of a March 17 assault on a world scholar at a public transit bus cease.
“That concern is prevalent within the minds of all college students,” stated Desjarlais. “When they’re taking public transit, after they’re strolling by themselves late at night time, you already know, there are necessary sources that we have to enhance security and safety.”
Even although the assault occurred off-campus, the scholar union want to see extra RCMP sources devoted particularly to the college, as is the case on the UBC campus in Vancouver.
In February 2022, a 24-12 months previous safety guard was killed whereas on responsibility on the Kelowna campus.
Harmandeep Kaur died within the early morning hours of Feb. 26 after being attacked.
Dante Ognibene-Hebbourn is dealing with expenses of second-diploma homicide. He was working the night time shift as a janitor on campus.
The case goes earlier than the courts this April.
“Our campus is rising,” Desjarlais stated. “Increased helps and devoted sources to our campuses is one thing I might be keen on and advocating for…and I feel a number of the more moderen occasions present that we’d like elevated safety for our college students.”
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The scholar inhabitants on the Vancouver UBC campus is almost 5 instances the dimensions of the Okanagan’s and has an RCMP detachment on website.
While there aren’t any such plans on the Kelowna-based college, discussions are underway on the best way to create extra of a common police presence on campus.
“There are nearly 10,000 college students. They have 3,000 residing on campus after which they’ve the Academy Way improvement there which might be principally college students, so yeah, having police presence right here might be, sooner or later, going to be addressed.”
That’s one thing many college students stated they’d welcome.
“I feel if there have been one or two officers on campus that we might discuss with, that actually wouldn’t be something horrible, it really can be appreciated,” stated Benito.
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