UC Berkeley Parents Raise $40,000 for Private Security to Patrol Campus: ‘Situation Needs to Change’

Frustrated by the rising number of violent crimes targeting University of California at Berkeley students around their campus, a group of parents is taking the matter into their own hands. SafeBears, a non-profit organization that describes itself as comprising “1,300+ Cal parents and community allies working to improve safety for UC Berkeley students,” has launched a pilot program to increase patrol forces near campus, as both university and city police departments are struggling with a shortage of manpower. The parent-funded program has raised more than $40,000 to hire six private “safety ambassadors” to patrol the public areas near the campus during night and early morning hours from March 6 through March 23. They will not enter university property, but will stick to public areas, including public streets and sidewalks....