Campus security measures in the wake of campus robbery

By Mikayla Boyd, Editor-in-Chief

On the evening of Thursday, Nov. 20, an armed robbery took place in the Eastwood parking lot. According to a voice message distributed to members of the campus community later that evening, “an armed robbery was reported to have occurred on our campus. The victim of the robbery is okay and the campus appears safe.” 

On Friday, Nov. 21, email communications from Dr. Harold Fields, vice president of student affairs, announced that “Canisius University can confirm that five individuals, none of whom are affiliated with the university, allegedly perpetrated an armed robbery of a student on Thursday evening. The suspects have since been apprehended by the Buffalo Police Department…The student was not physically injured and is receiving support from the university’s resources.” According to Channel 2 News, “the suspects allegedly took her keys, phone and vehicle. About an hour after the robbery, officers spotted the stolen vehicle…[which] struck a patrol car and then a pole at Goodell and Elm Streets. Police say everyone inside the vehicle ran but were taken into custody a short distance away.”

The Griffin reached out to the university for comment, to which Fields responded. When asked about whether the incident revealed any areas of concern within the new Public Safety force, Fields stated that “the university’s safety processes functioned as designed,” continuing that “in alignment with the Jesuit value of pursuing the Magis, we are perpetually committed to continuous improvement. As such, we have always been and will continue to be reflective of our practices and services to identify opportunities to strengthen our procedures, execution and communication.”

On the question of whether there will be any procedural changes to make less surveilled areas, such as the Eastwood parking lot, safer for students. Fields responded that while the university cannot share specific security measures or share specific enhancements they are considering to protect their effectiveness, the university is “actively working to improve safety in [the Eastwood lot] area and others.” Fields emphasized that Public Safety officers patrol campus around the clock, including parking lots and building perimeters, and the university “maintains a strong working partnership with the Buffalo Police Department.”