This article was first published in The Sheaf, the print newspaper of The University of Saskatchewan. It was an article inside Volume 91, Issue 30.
Friday, March 10 marked the first official day that Flaman Investigations. an outside security company, began private patrolling of the University of Saskatchewan residences. The company was
hired in light of the recent security problems faced by the University.
Neil Nickel. a Residence Manager at the University, stated that a meeting between the university and Flaman Security was called on Friday, March 10, and was used to co-ordinate efforts of both security forces, the University Campus Security and Flaman Investigations. Such an option, said Nickel, was considered long before last Friday, as there have been notable security issues facing the residences since last summer. The hiring of the outside company was due to the “reduced service'” provided by
Campus Security, said Nickel, and was needed largely for the protection of students in University
Residences.
While Campus Security would be essentially in control of all matters, Nickel stated that Flaman
Security would be on hand to provide assistance if and when needed. The security company would
assist Resident Assistants and Supervisors in the residences, who patrol the hallways regularly. When the. Resident Assistants and Supervisors complete their own patrols, ending at 11 ;00 pm, personnel
from Flaman Security remain until 5;30 am, said Nickel.
Flaman Security officers are authorized to “handle minor disputes,” Nickel stated, such as “noisy students.” For larger incidents, Flaman personnel are required to “contact Campus Security” for assistance or to hand over the investigation directly, Nickel asserted. No such incidences have occurred yet, said Nickel, but he expects that Flaman’s services will be put to good use. “The end of the year is coming,” he mused.
Flaman Security’s Miles Cotes, the chief contact between the University Residences and the outside company, declined to comment on the situation.
The decision to use the services of Flaman Investigations was made primarily because the company
has been used before on Campus, Nickel recalled. He said that the College of Kinesiology had used
the company last summer for various services, and the track record of the company is very good.
Nickel stressed that the University Residences were “fully supportive of their [Campus Security] position,” but an outside company was needed to ensure the safety of students in the residences. “We’re dealing with people’s [residence students] safety here, and we don’t take that lightly,” said Nickel.
