Gulp.
After all the unity, all the discussion, all the calls to action, we are left with a bitter taste in our mouths, wondering what to believe, what was real and how we got duped by a cry for attention.
On Nov. 9, I fielded a call from Xander Saide, who wanted to tell us about an “incident” that had occurred over the weekend. He sounded lost and on the verge of tears.
“Do you want to come in to the office and tell us about it?” I asked him.
And the story was born.
Xander Saide went from no one to victim to scapegoat in just over a week. And we all ate it up. How could we not? It was a compelling story for media, for student groups and for Associated Student Government. The hate at Northwestern seemed to have reached another level. A campus on the verge of fear was given yet another reason to worry.
Fortunately, Evanston Police Department never got caught up in the whirr of the media engine. And while we took Saide at his word, the police continued to question and defied the assumption of victimhood Saide so desperately sought.
And this should not be underestimated. EPD is a busy department. Believe me, I spent a quarter trying to get a hold of Cmdr. Michael Perry, who handles both investigations and public information. Between press calls and investigating crimes, Perry is a busy man. It would have be easy enough for EPD’s investigative team to chalk up Saide’s case as another hate crime with no leads — Saide didn’t even know whether the person who yelled at him was male or female. But, with enough investigative experience, it is relatively easy to spot fishy stories, Chief Frank Kaminski of EPD said at a press conference Tuesday.
The university and Evanston owe the police department a “thank you” for following up on these leads. EPD’s efforts on this case indicate how they are seriously following up on all cases of the real hate crimes on campus. NU and Evanston should show their gratitude by pledging more money to both EPD and University Police. Arguably the three biggest issues this quarter — assaults, hate crimes and disruptive students — center around police presence.
And what do we get?
EPD officers remain overworked. And UP is undergoing a study of whether they should add new officers, Chief Bruce Lewis said this month.
Administrators and aldermen have little in common except the letter “A” and the desire to promote their constituents’ interests. But funding is an issue they must unite on. They can talk all they want about safety, but aldermen and administrators need to put their money where their mouths are, because everyone’s sense of safety is at stake.
Administrators and aldermen have made great strides towards working together with the City-University Task Force, designed to open up a dialogue. Now they need to take it up a notch. They should use the task force to create a safety plan that meets the needs of all Evanston residents.
Students and nonstudents alike are afraid to walk outside at night. Both groups disapprove of the actions of the two NU football players who are charged with attempting to enter an Evanston resident’s home. Many of their issues resolved could be resolved by creating a larger investigations team, more connections between UP and EPD, and more officers on the street.
Sure, police are not the only answer. No one wants Evanston to turn into a police state, where you can’t have more than five people over without a visit from an officer or you have to worry about getting charged with jaywalking or biking on the sidewalk.
But residents and students can agree that it is time to heighten police presence. If only they could convince their aldermen and administrators to follow suit, it could make Evanston a safer place for everyone.
If nothing, greater funding could help EPD and UP solve more crimes — real and imagined.
