Talking about security

From preparing for serious threats to managing day-to-day operations, improving safety and security on a university campus is a never-ending process. This week, Dalhousie is sharing ideas and strategies with other universities at the annual general meeting of the Atlantic University and College Safety and Security Directors.

Hosted by NSCC, the conference is an opportunity for security staff from the Atlantic provinces and beyond to gather and network about the challenges and opportunities in their line of work. On Wednesday, Dalhousie president Tom Traves, along with chief of security Sandy MacDonald, hosted attendees at a luncheon at the University Club.

Of the guests, Lisa Sprague likely traveled the farthest to attend. She’s the associate director of university police at Florida State University. She’s also the president of IACLEA – the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

“I’m here to represent IACLEA and network with other colleagues, explain what our role is and start to discuss what we can offer in training, best practices and further collaboration,” she said.

Dan Hutt, Canadian director of IACLEA, is also attending the conference. Mr. Hutt is manager of police services at the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. He says that universities have a lot to share with one another when it comes to tackling security matters.

“Campuses are campuses, no matter where in the world you are – and I’ve visited a lot of them,” he said. “The same fears, the same concerns are in Russia, in Beijing, at Dalhousie and at the University of Toronto. It’s truly an international community.”

One of Dalhousie’s strongest assets in maintaining safety and security on campus and beyond is the university’s strong relationship with the Halifax Regional Police. It includes the designated police patrol that travels through nearby neighbourhoods during the busiest times of the year. Frank Beasley, Chief of Police, is speaking at Thursday night’s banquet dinner and plans to talk about that partnership as well as student concerns about crime in Halifax.

“You have 30,000 students come into this region each year,” he says, “Unfortunately, they can be a source of aggravation, but they also bring a significant financial and culture contribution to our community. It’s very important that their voice gets heard. Dalhousie stepped up to the plate and we were more than willing to help work with students and try to reduce the negative impacts. It’s been a highly successful partnership.”