Safe Bears: UC Berkeley parents hire private security group to make students safer

NEWS.COM. >> IN THE EAST BAY, THERE'S A NEW GROUP GOING AROUND BERKELEY WITH THE MISSION TO PROTECT CAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS. IT'S AN IDEA FROM A GROUP OF STUDENTS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ABC SEVEN NEWS REPORTER LAUREN MARTINEZ HAS MORE ON HOW THEY WORK AND WHY THEY FEEL IT'S NEEDED. >> PARENTS ARE STEPPING IN TO MAKE A SAFER UC BERKELEY. CAL PARENTS HIRED THEIR OWN PRIVATE SECURITY GROUP CALLED SAFE BEARS. >> OH, IT FEELS GOOD. AND I APPRECIATE IT. >> HELPING PEOPLE SAFE BEARS FORMED OUT OF CONCERNS THAT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH MEASURES OR RESOURCES TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE. >> YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES CAL STUDENTS, IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO ASSUME THAT THE RISKS THEY FACE EVERY DAY IN BERKELEY ARE JUST PART OF NORMAL LIFE, BUT IT'S NOT. >> STARTING THIS WEEK, SIX SAFETY AMBASSADORS WEARING BRIGHT YELLOW JACKETS WILL PATROL DIFFERENT AREAS, EITHER ON FOOT OR BY BIKE. FROM 630 IN THE EVENING TO 3 A.M. EVERY NIGHT. >> THEY ALL HAVE CALIFORNIA GUARD CARDS, WHICH MEANS THEY'VE UNDERGONE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AS WELL AS THE FBI. THEY ARE NOT CARRYING ANY KIND OF DEFENSIVE GEAR. THEY DON'T CARRY PEPPER SPRAY OR BATONS OR HANDCUFFS. >> THE SAFETY AMBASSADORS DON'T STEP FOOT ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS PROPERTY, JUST ON PUBLIC ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AROUND THE UNIVERSITY, WHERE STUDENTS LIVE AND STUDY. >> KIND OF HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS YOU WANT, LIKE THE PEOPLE DO PROTEST. PEOPLE LIKE CAMPAIGN FOR THE THINGS THEY WANT. SO I THINK IT'S LIKE REALLY GOOD THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT. >> THE SAFETY AMBASSADORS ROLE IS TO PROVIDE A PHYSICAL DETERRENCE TO ANY THREATS AGAINST STUDENTS. FOR NOW, THIS WILL BE A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WILL RUN UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. >> I'M A PARENT OF THREE, AND THIS IS A GREAT START. >> FULLY BELIEVE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CARES ABOUT STUDENT SAFETY, BUT WE JUST DON'T SEE ENOUGH URGENCY ON THEIR PART TO

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 7,821

Keywords: news, abc, abc7news, uc berkeley safety, cal students, private security, safe bears, student safety, Berkeley campus patrol

Id: NCn9LMGWgzE

Length: 1min 58sec (118 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 08 2024