EDITORIAL: Tell the truth, and sooner
While checking their Central Michigan University emails Monday, many students might have glanced at the subject line "Residence hall students reminded to lock doors" and immediately trashed it, thinking it was just a friendly reminder from the university.
Those who clicked on it, though, learned the email was much more serious than that.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Canton freshman John Rubio was arrested for five charges relating to criminal sexual conduct and a home invasion in the Merrill residential hall. Students had to keep reading to discover that information.
It took about 30 hours for CMUPD to inform the campus about the incident. If that was not unacceptable enough, the email glossed over the subject, at best.
A proper subject line would have read something along the lines of "Assault reported at Merrill Hall." Instead, the header, in addition to lacking clarity, seemingly puts the blame on the victim – emphasizing the problem lies with leaving doors unlocked, rather than the problem of the incident itself.
The email goes on to address the incident, citing that the subject committed "sexual assault and other simple assaults" – directly marginalizing the crime of sexual assault by referring to it as a "simple" crime.
Although the email lacked detail, failing to provide information on the alleged assailant, it preemptively said the victims "did not sustain an injury as a result," falling short on consideration for potential emotional injury.
The community has the right to know when something like this happens on campus sooner rather than later. CMU students get Central Alert test calls once a month, but the time something actually happens, nobody hears anything? That doesn't make any sense.
CMUPD Lt. Cameron Wassman cited no need for an alert because Rubio was arrested quickly and did not pose a threat. However, a Central Alert was a necessary commodity, especially when the only official communication was a poorly-timed and badly-worded email.
It is the police department's responsibility to remain timely, as well as transparent.
When someone is arrested for invading university property and sexually assaulting a student, it pertains to everyone on campus – regardless if the CMUPD recognizes an "immediate and continued threat."
By failing to quickly inform the public and denigrating the focal issue, the department ultimately fell short on their obligations to the community.
The fact of the matter is this: We, as students and a campus community expect the police department to keep us sage and alert us of danger. Part of that expectation is the assumption that when an incident occurs, we're informed as soon as possible with as much information as is available.
We were failed this time around, but when a situation like this occurs again, we must be alerted in a clear and timely manner.
