Associated Students of Cerritos College Commissioner of Athletics, Daniel Gomez, addressed the Board of Trustees on Nov. 7, on the subject of campus safety during the off hours.
“You see the police roaming around, you see the student security guards walking around.
“That’s not the issue I’m concerned with; my issue is we have had four break-ins in the past two months. Why has it gotten to this point? What is being done to prevent things like that?” Gomez said.
The Student Activities Office was broken into for the second time in two months.
The other break-ins took place in the Math Success Center and the Fine Arts Building.
“During school for the most part the students I have talked to don’t have an issue with (safety) concerns during school. It’s when were not here, what’s getting done? Chief Buck told us that during night time when were not around that he has officers patrolling and anyone on campus, even if it’s just someone walking their dog, gets questioned. If that’s the case, then how do we have four break-ins in two months? … What can we do when were not here?” Gomez said.
He spoke to the Board of Trustees during the public presentations part of the monthly board meetings.
During that time anyone can have five minutes to address the board members about any topic.
Although the board members listen, they do not respond during that time.
After the meeting, Cerritos College President and Superintendent Dr. Linda Lacy said, “It’s such a large area that the officers are over here and it’s happening (in another area), but we are putting more officers in that area.”
Lacy continued, “We’re trying to beef up the patrols and that type of thing, and we’re putting in more alarms because in a place this vast they’ll just move around to where the officers aren’t. We are taking preventative measures, with the alarms and different things with motion detectors.
“With cameras that will help catch the perpetrator, the alarms are to help deter. Keep in mind that all comes with an expense and so we are trying to balance that.”
