Private security guards won’t make UC Berkeley safer. Here’s what will

Regarding “UC Berkeley parents were so worried about crime they hired private security. Is it working?” (Crime, SFChronicle.com, March 19): I am a UC Berkeley senior, and I am troubled by the parent-funded private security program, SafeBears. It appears to be more of a symbolic gesture than a substantive solution. 

The guards contracted by SafeBears to patrol the perimeter of campus are not vetted by university police and administration, raising questions about accountability, oversight and qualifications. 

The involvement of parents in funding SafeBears screams nothing more than privilege. Instead of investing in the existing public safety infrastructure, like BearWalk Escort and Night Shuttles, these parents perpetuate the myth that safety is a commodity that can be purchased and privatized. 

Programs like SafeBears are also part of a large dog-whistling campaign to advocate for increased police presence and surveillance on campus. 

SafeBears fails to address the root causes of crime and violence on campus. We should be focusing on systemic issues such as poverty, inequality and lack of access to community resources. 

Berkeley will be safer once it is a more livable city for every marginalized community. 

Photographer: Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Letter to the Editors: Private security guards won’t make UC Berkeley safer. Here’s what will

By Tran Nguyen | SF Chronicle | March 27, 2024