Editorial: Vigilante injustice

Anyone walking down Oakland’s streets after a late-night library session knows to keep his… Anyone walking down Oakland’s streets after a late-night library session knows to keep his guard up. No, Oakland’s streets aren’t on par with the crime-filled streets of Compton, but let’s face it — the same streets aren’t exactly lined with white picket fences.

Crime occurs intermittently, with this past month seeing a spate of attempted robberies.

Monday night, eight men allegedly followed a male Pitt student down the street around the 300 block of Oakland Avenue at approximately 9 p.m. The men assaulted him and attempted to steal his bookbag and money, the student said. The student made it to the safety of the Hillman Library, but the incident left him with a several face lacerations. He said he might start carrying around a pepper spray keychain in the future because of his experience. This incident follows a string of robberies on McKee Place earlier this month.

Some students, though, aren’t content with the safety of pepper spray. In the past two months, the University of Washington police department reported 10 assaults and robberies, according to The Daily, the campus newspaper of The University of Washington. In response, a small group of University of Washington students obtained concealed license permits and have begun toting handguns.

But the armed students have a more proactive measure in mind: vigilante justice. The students have gone so far as to set up patrols on a street that’s been a hotspot for violent criminal activities. These students believe campus police are too slow and generally ineffective in responding to incidents.

Yes, these students are out to catch the bad guys and preserve public well-being, but their measures, no matter how effective, go too far.

There’s a big difference between carrying pepper spray and carrying a handgun — and it doesn’t necessarily relate to degree of protection. Guns, or any sort of lethal weapons, might very well impede a potential robber, but they create opportunity for more serious crimes than robbery. Should such a zealous vigilante end up using deadly force, despite any intentions, murder trials can get murky. Also, regarding the crime of robbery, such force is not warranted. Even if students only intend to use their guns to scare off robbers, such a heated situation could escalate into a lethal scenario. Would students really feel safer if a firefight broke out?

Historically, vigilantes don’t operate within the confines and parameters of a legitimate authority such as a police force. These vigilantes are just students. They’re likely untrained to handle such situations, and it is possible they’ve never been involved with similar scenarios. The vigilantes don’t know legal technicalities, and rote protocol for police officers might escape these would-be Batmen.

Police officers are trained for life-threatening situations so that they can react responsibly under pressure. It takes a lot of time to be a cop, and even trained officers sometimes don’t know what to do. While the police do not always act with perfection, untrained students cannot be expected to do a better job at law enforcement. Studying crime-fighting is no substitute for police academy — not all the cadets even make the final cut.

Perhaps it’s difficult for the average student to dissuade criminal acts, but if students want to avoid being caught up in a robbery, their common sense will be the best defense. Follow the advice the professionals offer: Stick to well-lit areas, keep your wits up and walk with friends whenever possible.

If students want to reduce crime in their neighborhoods, they should start a neighborhood watch program. More weapons on the street won’t make a neighborhood safer.