[Imcamericorps] [Imc-bookkeeper] Security issues

[Gary/Jamie Storm]

To my knowledge, b2p has always unlocked the Elm St & south doors during our public work sessions.  To be clear, are you saying we should stop doing this immediately?  Jamie

> Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:11:40 -0600
> From: bcdugga at gmail.com
> To: imc-bookkeeper at lists.chambana.net; imcamericorps at lists.chambana.net
> Subject: [Imc-bookkeeper] Security issues
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I witnessed and attempted to address serious security issues at the IMC
> last night. I need to relate what happened, offer suggestions, and add
> some history for context.
> 
> History first. This illustrates why the security issues are such a big deal.
> 
> In June of last year, one of Betsem's paintings and one of his cell
> phones were stolen from his studio around noon on a Saturday. Both the
> Elm Street door and the South basement door were found unlocked. There
> were several IMC members inside on both levels at the time. The total
> value of the stolen items were $750. They were never recovered.
> 
> Betsem has always had to deal with unsupervised children entering the
> building after hours. The children range in age from 9 to 17 or 18. They
> routinely enter the building through the Elm street door, the South
> basement door, and sometimes the loading dock door. If there is activity
> in the building, they will hide in stairwells and other poorly-lit areas
> until members leave so that they can use the public computers. When
> Betsem encounters them hiding, he confronts them. The children then
> harass and threaten Betsem before they leave. Both Atef and Betsem
> report that the children use the public computers to view pornography
> and masturbate.
> 
> Here's what happened last night.
> 
> I left the Finance meeting around 5:45p. I hung around to try to catch
> Durl on his way out, but I missed him. At 6:00p I left the Makerspace to
> exit through the South basement door for a sandwich. As I turned the
> corner, I saw a Bike Project member unlock the South basement door, turn
> and head back to the Bike Project. I found Carol immediately and
> informed her of what I'd seen. Then I left the IMC.
> 
> At 6:30, Betsem called me to inform me that he found children hiding in
> the building and that they had harassed and threatened him. I asked him
> if he needed me to come back immediately. He said that I did not because
> they left immediately.
> 
> I returned to the IMC at 6:50p and found both the Elm Street door and
> the South basement door unlocked. I entered the Bike Project to discuss
> this with the members. The keyed volunteer, the one who had unlocked the
> South door, said that that's what the Bike Project had always done. He
> said that the Bike Project had been here longer than AmeriCorps. I
> informed them of the security breach that had occurred half an hour
> prior. The only cogent argument for leaving the door unlocked that any
> of the members could offer was that they could not hear the doorbell
> from inside their space.
> 
> I asked the members to lock the door last nights due to the security
> breach and that I would relay their desire to hear the doorbell inside
> their space to the building coordinators. They were noncommittal to
> locking the door.
> 
> I made a thorough inspection of the entire building at 7:00p and locked
> the Elm Street door. When I returned to the South basement door at
> 7:10p, it was still unlocked. I do not know how to lock the South
> basement door.
> 
> Here are some notes and suggestions for myself and others when dealing
> with security issues.
> 
> Notes:
> 1. Despite our efforts, security has not meaningfully improved since
> last summer at the IMC.
> 
> 2. Members of the IMC and specifically the Bike Project and SDAS (who
> use the Elm Street door) clearly do not understand the severity of their
> negligence of locking doors.
> 
> Suggestions:
> 1. All AmeriCorps staff should know which doors should be locked, when,
> and how to lock each door. FYI*:
> 
> The Elm Street and South Basement doors should ALWAYS be locked.
> 
> The red doors should only be unlocked during IMC open hours - between
> 10am and 6pm, Monday through Friday.
> 
> The C4A and front building door should be locked after 9pm every day.
> 
> * This is my understanding. Please correct me if these are not right.
> 
> All AmeriCorps should know how to lock every door. I will ask Leon to
> show me how to lock the South basement door today.
> 
> 2. Teamwork. The Bike Project members made me feel very uncomfortable
> and were dismissive of me when I told them I was an AmeriCorps member.
> In the future, I will try to approach IMC members about security issues
> in a group. I could have asked Carol to accompany me to the Bike Project
> immediately.
> 
> Finally, AmeriCorps should feel comfortable asking each other for help
> when they need to address these issues with IMC members. Everyone should
> feel comfortable calling me if they want help. My number is
> 
> 631 223 8442
> 
> Text or call any time.
> 
> Hope this was informative.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brian
> 
> -- 
> Brian Duggan
> Technical Projects Developer
> UC Independent Media Center
> http://www.ucimc.org | 631 223 8442
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