Security is one of the most crucial aspects in any part of the world. It is no mistake, that almost every government in all parts of the globe spends a considerable proportion of their budgets on defense and security. This is especially because security safeguards almost all rights in which case all other rights would be inexistent without security. Unfortunately, insecurity always rears its ugly head in countries in general, and institutions in particular. This is the case in the college environment.
Thesis statement: Insecurity results from fragmentation between students, the administration and security, in which case it can only be resolved through collaboration between the three arms.
Students have known their fair share of problems as far as insecurity in their halls of residence is concerned. There have been quite a large number of cases involving robbery, loss of property and break-ins in the halls of residence both during the day and night. In the last three weeks, seven students have had their houses broken into and even lost property worth thousands of dollars. The culprits quite a lot of time to do that, at least, going by the thoroughness of the job that they carry out. It is worth noting that these break-ins involve the use of master keys or even breaking the doors. This, therefore, breeds the notion that the cases are inside jobs, where some students or even security agents are the key culprits in the crimes, or are working in cohorts with the key culprits. In addition, there have been cases where students have been mugged in areas close to the halls of residence.
Of course, it is expected that students would be in their rooms in normal hours. However, it is also inevitable that some students will be late in getting to their rooms in which case they may fall victim to such criminals. As much as the security agents may not be expected to be patrolling every single part of the compound, the fact that the muggings occur close to the halls of residence means that they some people are lax or are sleeping on their jobs. In addition, it goes without saying that some people may have information that may lead to the resolution of this issue but do not speak out. This serves as an indication that cooperation is deficient between the various components making up the university community.
Needless to say, insufficient security far-reaching and negative consequences as it threaten the peace of the university. It goes without saying that insecurity cripples students’ capability to pursue their academic goals. In fact, it will only be a matter of time before the disruption of peace boils over and disrupts other aspects of the community. In addition, insecurity leads to tremendous loss of resources. It is worth noting that quite a large amount of money is used in replacing the lost property, as well as repairing any infrastructure that may have been destroyed. In the case of muggings, students have been lucky enough to lose their property only. It is common knowledge that individuals may be injured or even have fatal results. All these effects revolve around disruption of academic discourse of the student, in which case the fundamental pillar of the academic institution is at risk. This underlines the seriousness of the problem, as well as the need for a comprehensive and all inclusive solution to be devised so as to bring the problem to a close.
Numerous and different suggestions have been made as to the appropriate way in which security in the halls of residence could be beefed up. These solutions have varying levels of effectiveness, costs and take different durations to implement. This underlines the importance of being cautious with the solution as it has to be cost effective, efficient, as well as effective and take a short time to install. Obviously, only a combination of strategies would meet these requirements. The halls of residence must develop their own security plan that is tailored and customized for that hall. Professional security consultants should be contacted to help in making well-targeted, physical improvements to the halls of residence to improve security.
It is imperative that multiple monitoring cameras are installed in every hall of residence and especially in the entrances. In addition, the security lock system must be changed so as to recognize the thumbprints of the occupants or a secret code known only to the occupants of that room. It has been recognized that, as much as the crime rates have been on the rise the institution has a sufficient number of security guards. This means that the guards have either been participating in the crimes, or they did not undergo sufficient training to cover the halls of residence effectively. This could, however, be remedied through constant rotation and training so as to equip them appropriately. On the same note, students and the school administration must play their role in exhibiting vigilance in so as to ensure that security is beefed up. Obviously, the various players in the school community must be involved, both in devising the appropriate mechanism for their halls of residence, as well as apprehending the culprits of this menace.
The advantage or benefit of this method lies in the fact that it incorporates technology in which case it is safe and secure. In addition, all stakeholders are involved in which case they will own the process. They can always hold meetings to appraise on the progress and the effectiveness of the solution, and rectify any loopholes. In addition, no system would be similar for all halls of residence in which case the customization ensures that the systems are suitable for the needs of specific halls of residence.
