Every student on this campus should be thankful for Fairfield University’s Security Department. No group or organization at Fairfield takes the safety of students more seriously, not even the students themselves. However, the department’s initiative of putting officers “undercover” crosses the line between safety and privacy and should be stopped immediately.
Having a security officer dress in street clothes to patrol parking lots for break-ins seems innocent enough at first glance. But wouldn’t having an officer in uniform patrolling the parking lots be at least, if not more, effective? Likewise, we’re sure students would feel safer seeing a uniformed security officer walking through their residence halls, rather than a shifty older male in casual clothes (who later identifies himself as a security officer) asking students for marijuana. Incidents like this, reported in a story this week, are very unsettling and merit investigation.
In any community, those who are charged with protecting its members should be trusted, appreciated and welcomed. At a place where this is not exactly the case to begin with, having undercover officers puts the chance for a healthy relationship between security and the student body in dangerous jeopardy.
Associate Director of Security Frank Ficko defended having undercover officers, “If it gets people to be extra cautious and watch what they do I’ll view that as a partial success,” he said.
Such a defense is beyond ridiculous. If cameras were installed in every residence hall room to monitor student activity, students would no doubt be extra cautious and watch what they do. Mandatory breathalyzer tests could be administered every weekend, and students would probably drink less as a result. But all of these scenarios include an intolerable violation of students’ privacy and rights. To put it simply, the ends don’t justify the means.
Again, The Mirror appreciates as much as anyone else all the hard work the Security Department does 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure a safe environment for everyone at Fairfield. But in any civil society, people accept certain risks to guarantee privacy and freedom. Should Fairfield University be the exception?
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