In any relationship between authority and the masses, between institutions and individuals, it is highly likely that the interaction will develop some antagonistic characteristics. Above all, the elements of any institution dedicated to the protection and moderation of its members will undoubtedly cause friction with those who they are intended to protect. Take, for example, Bowdoin Security.
Bowdoin's finest serve as protectors, investigators, enforcers, and even prosecutors at times. They maintain the security of Bowdoin's buildings and attempt to prevent the committing of crimes here on campus. Most students rarely interact with them in any of their multiple capacities. No, the average Bowdoin student sees Security through a single facet: its role as the regulators of the campus party scene. We all learned the drill our first year: someone yells the magic word and everyone drops his or her cup while Security checks the keg number. Most nights, those thirty to sixty seconds are uneventful and the party quickly kicks back into gear. Of course, there are exceptions, and that's where the antagonism comes out. Voices raise, tempers flare, and the men and women in grey/brown get another black mark in their books.
It's taken me over three years to realize it, but Bowdoin Security is actually essential for any student, whether or not he or she drinks (and I do). Sure, most students have been present for at least one confrontation with Security where rules have been broken and the night is ending early. Sure, the officers may aggressively assert themselves and bring an exciting night to an end; college students with a few drinks in them are certainly not a crowd disposed to accept unquestioned arbitration from authority figures. Worst of all are the consequences when the night's report lands on a Dean's desk on Monday.
Security's role as "the bad guy" is only one way?the most combative way?to look at the situation. The administration's rules concerning drinking are designed with safety as a primary end, and it's clear that security officers must enforce them if that goal is to be obtained. In addition, any serious critique of Security's role on campus must include the extreme alternative. If Bowdoin provided no security force to maintain some level of control over the College's nightlife, Brunswick Police Department would spend much more time on campus. It should be clear that this change would bring with it a whole new set of consequences for any Bowdoin student found engaged in illegal activity, particularly if he or she is underage.
Each year, Bowdoin Security prevents countless altercations between far more intransigent police officers and students and helps to maintain positive town-gown relations. Perhaps more important to the average Bowdoin student, when Security does take down names, the highest authority that receives them will be a member of the Bowdoin Administration, not the Brunswick judicial system. Simply put, getting busted by Security far outweighs getting busted by the police. Shouldn't that be enough? Students rail against "arrogant" or "nasty" attitudes from Security Officers, but this is a childish and unfair response to those who are truly serving and protecting the campus. It can be hard to see sometimes, particularly through the haze of a few drinks, but Security usually does have students' best interests at heart. There is plenty of leeway for Bowdoin students to have a good time, with or without alcohol, and the rules are hardly restrictive. What is lacking, however, is an appreciable level of respect for hard-working and unappreciated members of the Bowdoin community who are doing their best to avoid problems with students.