Sehvilla is right (was Re: [Imc] twisted locks, twisted security)

Wed Feb 13 00:19:22 UTC 2002

ok, there is an important point about the front door being missed.  when
it is locked from the inside (when the latch is turned from the inside),
then no key from the outside can open it.  true having a doorbell might
solve this, so long as the person in the production room doesn't have
headphones on, or doesn't have their attention away from a light.  but
more importantly, when that lock is turned, it loses it's alignment.
There have been a couple times when someone has untaped the lock
and turned it, and the lock becomes unaligned.  When that person leaves,
and locks up from the outside, the unaligned lock stays that way (because
most people don't know how to realign it), and thus the lock continues to
be unlockable from the outside with a key (requiring the landlords, if
they're home, or an angry tennant, if he's home, to let the person in, so
that that person can go all the way through the back way).

yes, the door needs to be fixed.  the door frame, actually, because the
door lock has been replaced a couple times in the past.  fixing the door
frame will be fairly expensive (redoing the concrete and bricks, and the
steel frame itself).  unless someone wants to step up with the money to
cover this, then we will need to wait until the landlords fix the facade
of the building, which is currently slated for this summer.

until then, maybe when people need to work on something other than the
website (which can be worked on then from the security of their own home),
they should make sure that, if they won't feel safe working at night by
themselves, either they plan ahead so that they work there during
hours when people are there, or they call up friends.  Paul Riismandel,
who lives around the corner from the IMC, has graciously offered to be
available to hang out with folks at the IMC if they don't feel comfortable
being there alone, so long as you give him suffiecient notice (i would
recommend a couple days notice....though you'd need to plan ahead, but
that shouldn't be so difficult).  i think it is somewhat appropriate to be
responsible for your own safety (beyond what can be provided by the
space, and true we need and will eventually have a front door that locks
correctly) when you can't utilize the space during the times that some
volunteer has agreed to keep open.

safety is a concern for everyone at the imc, and i hope no one is thinking
we're treating this concern flippantly. whereas, i do agree with clint
that some part of feeling safe is a personal responsibility (a perspective
of things), it is also necessary for the imc to do what is needed to help
maintain a safe environment.  perhaps until we raise the money to replace
the door, find a temporary lock situation, or the landlords fix the facade
of the building, we should reconsider who has keys to the building.  i
liked jay's attempt to question what is entailed in being a member.  does
that automatically mean they can get a key?  if someone is a member and
needs to use imc resources, does that mean they should automatically get a
key?  if a member of a library wants to do some research, does that mean
that person should be able to get a key to the library (ok, sure that's
kinda a stretch, cuz our hours are more limited than the library's, but
we're also a volunteer organization, thus we can't pay people to be here
to work, and have to work within our limitations).  this whole question of
who gets a key needs to be sorted out....does a member, does a media
producer, does a staffer, do community folk who rent the place, etc.

it is important to be as flexible to the community as possible.  it is
also important listen to the concerns of the individuals who utilize the
imc, and balance them with the sustainability of the imc.  else, what good
are we as a community center?  if replacing the door is cost prohibitive
at the moment, then something else needs to thought up.  there have been
some proposals, such as the door bell idea (the problem with that is that
it doesn't solve the problem of a misaligned lock when the person leaves
for the night), locking the production room (which, though it might
technically be the safest room in the space because the deadbolt is much
more secure than a flip lock, it doesn't address the claustrophobic or
psychologic fear), and using the space when others are there (either imc
staffers, or friends that you have arranged to have there).

the steering focus group is trying to listen to all concerns.  it would be
helpful if those with the biggest concerns attempt to come a steering
meeting (sundays at noon).  i realize that may not be possible, however.
there is also wednesday nite (1st and 3rd wednesdays of the month) at 6:30
when the space focus group meets.  this is another place to bring up
things.  email does allow people to bring up concerns, but it sucks as a
format to resolve them, though it is possible (the global imc works this
way).  however, since we're all local, if attending one of the regularly
scheduled meetings is not possible, i would advocate for and with those
who have a strong concern about this matter to propose an alternative time
to get people also interested in this matter to together to come up with some
solution which can be presented to the sunday steering focus group (by
anyone from that meeting).

thanks to all who have responded to this.  i like when people work
together to try to solve things.

brian

On Tue, 12 Feb 2002, Chas. 'Mark' Bee wrote:

>
>    Not that I have any particular standing in the community, but I think
> it's past time to speak out, member or no.
>
>    On the several occasions I've had to visit the IMC, I noticed that
> there is a counter in the front room, and it seems that at various times
> there are staffers assigned thereabouts (which apparently makes the IMC
> 'staffed' at those times)..?
>
>    I fail to see why the IMC (or any other organization) should be open
> to street folk during times at which there is no staffer in the front
> room.  Likewise, those using the production room should probably not be
> considered staffers, without a doorbell or annunciator (these beep when
> someone comes in).  If a community member without a key wants to use the
> space, they should simply plan to arrive during a staffer's shift or
> make special arrangements.  Then, of course, there's always the call
> ahead, or from a pay phone upon arrival.
>
>    The onus of security should not be placed on doors/locks not visible
> from the street.  The production room doors, if I recall correctly, are
> primarily constructed of window glass and thin wooden struts - easy
> pickings for any individual wielding a chair - with the required ruckus
> effectively shielded from police/passersby observation or later notice.
> This sounds unlikely, true.  Whose life/health are folks willing to
> stake this wager with?  I could get through those doors in 30 seconds,
> and I'm supposed to be 'disabled', fer chrissake.
>
>    Basically, if the IMC wants production to go on after hours, it needs
> to assuage the concerns of its producers by creating a no-compromise
> safe environment.  After-hours access by folks without keys should not
> be available without front room oversight.
>
>    After hours, no staffer, no appointment, no access.  Anything else is
> foolhardy and places personnel at risk with minimal return.  Lone
> producers should be allowed to lock the front door, no question about
> it.  If this causes a real problem, wireless doorbells are available for
> around $20, and I think I saw someone offer one anyway.  Otherwise, I
> suggest producers refuse to produce there/then, deadline or no.
>
>    That's about it - sorry if this harshes anyone's groove!  --CMB
>
>
>
>
>
> Clint Popetz wrote:
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 12, 2002 at 03:31:37PM -0600, Sehvilla wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > The UCIMC's sense of security seems as twisted as the broken lock on the
> > > door. While Steering Committee is taking serious steps to protect the
> > > UCIMC's equipment, sensibly regulating the equipment usage policy, it
> > > defends the silly idea that volunteers shouldn't keep the IMC door locked,
> > > no matter what, because the IMC must be open to everyone. Many of the
> > > volunteers at the IMC will not feel safe using the UC-IMC space unless
> > > they are able to lock the door behind themselves. THE IMC IS NOT OPEN TO
> > > EVERYONE IF ITS VOLUNTEERS/PRODUCERS CAN'T WORK THERE SAFELY!
> > > It has been suggested that a volunteer could avoid security problems by
> > > working in the production room with the door locked. Some IMCistas feel
> > > like this is a solution, but it probably won't resolve the security
> > > concerns of most concerned volunteers. How is the volunteer to staff the
> > > IMC effectively, if they're locked in the production room?
> >
> > Similarly, how could they possibly staff the IMC effectively if the
> > front door is locked?  I think the point of the suggestion to lock the
> > production room door was not to provide safety while staffing, but
> > rather later at night.
> >
> > > What will they
> > > do if a person comes up and knocks on the production room door and asks
> > > for help with something?
> >
> > Use common sense and their own feeling of personally safety to decide
> > how to act?
> >
> > > Yes, the production room has a phone - if someone
> > > is disrupting the IMC, the volunteer who is locked in the production room
> > > can call 911. But if an attacker wants to hurt someone who's working in
> > > the production room, the deadbolt on the production-room door offers
> > > little protection to the volunteer.
> >
> > The production room deadbolt is actually a much more secure lock than
> > that on the front door.
> >
> > > They're far away from the front door,
> > > and they're blocked, visually and acoustically, from anyone passing-by on
> > > the street. The production room is full of windows. Three of these windows
> > > are just large sheets of glass. What's stopping an attacker from breaking
> > > a window to attack someone in the production room? No one can hear them
> > > from the street. What protection does the IMC volunteer have in that
> > > situation?
> >
> > Ditto for an attacker approaching the front door, no?
> >
> > No amount of locks/procedures/safeguards can make someone feel safe
> > in any situation.  The suggestions that have been made by the steering
> > committee and others have been an attempt to balance the needs of
> > individuals using the space late at night without allowing the space
> > to be monopolized, which is essentially what happens when the door is
> > locked from the inside.
> >
> > My suggestion would be: if you don't feel safe working at the IMC late
> > at night without locking everyone else out, then use the buddy system
> > and/or come in to work during hours when others are present.  Safety
> > in numbers...
> >
> >                                 -Clint
> >
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