News

Police Take Steps Towards 24/7 Camera 'Patrol'


The George Mason University Police Department is upping security measures on campus, starting with a push towards a manned 24/7 'patrol' of on-campus cameras.
(Photo by Student Media Photography Manager Peter Flint)
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It may not be Big Brother, but "you are being watched." The George Mason University Policy Department is working to establish a 24/7 security operations center, and one of the first projects is the manned 'patrol' of closed-circuit cameras on the Fairfax campus.

On a regular business day, the cameras will be monitored for a total of four hours. Assistant Chief of Police George Ginovsky called this a 'baby step' towards the larger goal of monitoring the cameras 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The footage the cameras collect was previously only used as reference when a crime was reported.

WGMU Program Director Alex Romano ask Ginovsky about the changes in security and the greater move towards the 24/7 security operations center in this excerpt from the station's weekly segment, Ask the Police.

Spring Break Kiosks Pop Up: Students Encouraged to Stay Safe

Spring Break is a time for some fun in the sun amid a hectic, energy-draining spring semester; however, the special occasion has a bad reputation, with some college students making not-so-great decisions that can sometimes have very serious consequences.

Mason Group Clashes with Mining Companies: Students Work to Pass ‘Stream Saver’ Bill

Over the past month, members of George Mason University’s Environmental Action Group, or EAG, have been working hard to help pass legislation to protect streams and mountains in the commonwealth. One bill in particular, the “Stream Saver” bill, would stop coal companies from dumping surface mining waste into streams, effectively ending mountaintop removal in Virginia.

Cuccinelli Files Lawsuit Against EPA: Attorney General Wants Virginia Out of Clean Air Act

With Virginia facing a deficit of $1.59 billion for the 2010-2011 biennial budget, one George Mason University organization alleged that Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is wasting taxpayers’ money with “frivolous lawsuits.”

The Mason Environmental Action Group, or EAG, was referring to petitions the attorney general filed in federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. to block the Environmental Protection Agency from complying with a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Women’s History Month Begins: Events to Showcase the Contributions of Women

This month, students on campus will have the opportunity to learn more about the contributions of women to our society. The Women and Gender Studies Center will be hosting Women’s History Month at George Mason University this March. Through performances, art and seminars, officials involved in making Women’s History Month hope to educate students on women’s issues.

McDonnell Order Does Not Protect Gays: Omission Based on McDonnell’s State Constitution Interpretation

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell issued an executive order last month protecting state workers from discrimination, but one particular group was left out: gays and lesbians. McDonnell’s Feb. 5 order, issued a month after he took office, “specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities.