Security says...

SYLVAIN-JACQUES DESJARDINS | Prevention is the best medicine -- it's an old adage, and one that bears repeating. That was the theme of a recent panel discussion organized by Management Forum, entitled "How to stay safe: Discussing campus security." Since McGill is a public place, crime can originate from both inside and outside the University, said Steve Paquin, head of McGill Security Services. "Too often, people are too trusting," he said, adding that most robberies occur when people are careless, leaving office doors unlocked or purses, wallets and other valuables unattended. That, he said, is like an invitation to be robbed. Paquin encouraged members of the McGill community to inform his department of any thefts or if they feel threatened by dubious individuals lurking around buildings. "The most important part in protecting yourself is to use the tools available," he said, adding that a simple call to Security can make the difference between feeling scared and feeling protected. "We're the people that never rest." Because crime patterns are often repeated, Paquin said an essential part of his job is the monthly meetings he has with the security departments of Montreal's three other universities, where they discuss what infractions are on the rise and how they can be prevented. "This interchange of ideas on how to attack problems has proven very worthwhile," he said. He also encouraged people to "put pressure" on the University if they feel that five security guards downtown, two on the Macdonald Campus and several contractual Pinkerton guards manning the gates and parking lots are insufficient to maintain security. "Security is what you make of it," he said. "It's like an insurance policy; the more you pay the more you get." Another way the University community can be safe -- both on and off the campus -- is to use the McGill Walksafe Network, a free service that provides walking escorts seven days a week, from seven in the morning to past midnight on weekdays (2:30 a.m. on weekends). Created seven years ago, Walksafe has about 350 volunteers who take turns patrolling the campus in easily identified red wind-breakers. "We're the eyes and ears of the [McGill] community," said Anne Topolski, the organization's public relations coordinator. "Walksafe," she stressed, "is not just for students. It's available whether you are male, female, faculty or other staff." She noted the service is confidential and that everyone is welcome to use it. "We'll pick you up or drop you off anywhere in Montreal," she said, adding that Walksafe teams work by foot, bus, car or even taxi -- whatever it takes to get people safely to their destination. Walksafe recently participated in a McGill security audit with other student groups, McGill Security and municipal police. Areas in need of improvement, they observed, were: library security, especially during peak exam periods when students study late; the safety routes that Walksafe employs, which could be expanded and periodically changed; and increased security in on- and off-campus housing. McGill ghetto landlords, they recommended, should lock the main doors to their buildings, install surveillance equipment and better maintain their fire escapes. Computer security is another area where safety is an issue. For example, 40 PCs were stolen from the Faculty of Management this year. But Alan Greenberg, director of McGill's Computing Centre, said fewer computers would be stolen if people would take a few simple precautions. His suggestions? "Tie down computers, lock your offices and mark the machines." Storing data on spare diskettes is also crucial, he added, in the event of a computer malfunction or theft. But back-up data must be stored as far from a PC as possible, he warned. "Thieves will usually take the box of diskettes lying beside a computer, too." It's also a good idea to create a password or encryption to gain access to personal computers, he said. To prevent information from being tampered with, restrict access to the machine and deter thieves from stealing it. However, he cautioned, "Don't create a password so complicated and long that you have to paste it onto the computer screen to remember it." The best way to protect computers, Greenberg mockingly said, is to be paranoid: "Assume the worst of everyone and you'll be fine." That's not bad advice, according to Mario Marroni, a police officer at Station 19, which serves the McGill community. "You can never be overly cautious," he said, adding that the greatest percentage of crimes are committed by co-workers, maintenance people and other contractual help. Marroni advises people to take the time to ask strangers for identification, call the company they claim to work for to see if, indeed, they are employees, then escort them to their said destination. "Never assume a person is allowed to be there because they say so," he said. As for "professional" computer thieves, Marroni said they are experts at what they do. It's not uncommon, he added, for thieves to scout locations, walk into unlocked offices and survey agendas to determine when their victims will be absent. They might come back a week later, posing as computer repairmen, and take away the machine in broad daylight. "Most of these office crimes happen in the day," he said. "Computer thieves are bold." As part of Station 19's goal to form a partnership with the McGill community, Marroni encouraged people to warn police of anything on campus that seems suspect. "We are here to serve you," he said. McGill Security can be reached at all times at 398-3000. Walksafe can be reached at 398-2498.