Campus Safety alerts students after ‘transient activity’ at Biola

Students are advised through email to exercise caution around La Mirada.

Macie Cummings and Isabelle Thompson • October 4, 2018

Campus Safety alerts students after ‘transient activity’ at Biola

Photo courtesy of Courtesy of Creative Commons

On Oct. 4, Campus Safety sent a mass email to Biola students informing them of potential danger posed by “transient individuals.” Students were advised to act cautiously around parking lots and shopping centers near Rosecrans and Valley View where the individuals have been known to congregate.

This email revealed that there have been multiple incidents in the past week involving some of these individuals on campus. On Oct. 2, Campus Safety came into contact with two individuals on campus and encountered a third on Oct. 3 around 3 a.m.

The email said that many of these individuals have extensive criminal histories. It further stated that a number of them were “homeless young adults with noticeably poor grooming standards.” Campus Safety also mentioned concerns that Biola might be a potential target for property crimes.

The message contained safety tips for students to take into consideration. Campus Safety encouraged students to always remain conscious of their surroundings and to report anything out of the ordinary even while on campus. Campus Safety officers also provide escorts to students anywhere on campus or to the off-campus Biola apartments.

Additionally, Biola is taking initiatives to protect students and staff on campus, including a new addition to the security wall near Hart Hall. The new 8 to 10 foot wall will make it harder for individuals to jump over the fence onto campus, something that Campus Safety Chief John Ojeisekhoba has cited as a major issue in recent months.

Campus Safety did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the email, the department said it would “continue to patrol campus proactively and work with the City of La Mirada to address the safety concerns posed by these individuals.”

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About the Contributors

Macie Cummings, News Editor (Fall 2018)

Macie Cummings is a senior journalism major on a mission to find the best iced vanilla latte. She is passionate about all things Disney, the Dodgers, and the Office. [email protected] Four years ago, I never would have thought my Biola experience would turn out the way that it did. I am from the small town of Visalia, California, and if you don’t know where that is, just picture cows in the middle of the Central Valley and you’re there. I am the oldest of three girls, and we are incredibly close. However, I was ecstatic about the opportunity to move down to Southern California. The fact that I would only be living nine miles away from Disneyland may have been a key factor when choosing a school. While wrapping up my senior year of high school, I was confident in my decision to become an elementary school teacher. At some point that summer, I had an epiphany: I did not want to be in school for the rest of my life. I decided to take a huge risk and apply for Biola’s film program. After a year of only taking general education courses, I found out I had been accepted, only to go and switch my major yet again. The journalism program sparked my interest, when I realized that film was not for me. I have a passion for creating videos, so I chose an emphasis in broadcast journalism. After a semester of broadcast classes, and a lot of prayer, I decided to switch my emphasis to visual media, which is where I’ve planted myself. I have learned that I thoroughly enjoy many different aspects of the journalism and content creation industry, so this seemed like the best fit. I am looking forward to my year as a news editor for the Chimes, and the opportunity to grow in my writing and storytelling abilities. I know this year will be a year of learning and growth, and I cannot think of a better way to spend my last year at Biola.

Isabelle Thompson, Business Manager

Isabelle Thompson is a senior business marketing major who enjoys gloomy weather, reading and national parks. She is also an advocate for adventure and trying new things. Good literature has always been a source of inspiration for me. Through the years I have become influenced by authors ranging from Jane Austin, Mark Twain and Scott Fitzgerald to more modern writers including Andy Weir and Stephen Chobsky. Each story I have come across has had a role in shaping the way I see the world and who I am today. It was my love of writing and storytelling which drew me to the position of News Editor at The Chimes my sophomore year. Through that experience I learned the skills necessary to produce consistent, factual and engaging stories that informed and documented events that impacted my immediate community. It was a new kind of storytelling for me which came with the responsibility of doing justice to the very real themes and lives portrayed. Coming back to The Chimes as a senior business marketing major, I feel lucky to have the position of business manager. While I will be taking a step back from writing, I am excited to be surrounded by excellent storytellers and support the publication in a way that aligns with my goals for a career in business.