Former Bowdoin student Ryan McDonough '08 was arrested twice this summer and has been banned from Bowdoin property.
In an e-mail sent to students in early July, Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols informed the Bowdoin community that McDonough had been issued a criminal trespass warning, which prohibited him from stepping foot on campus.
Before the trespass warning, McDonough was arrested in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts. On July 8, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported that McDonough had been charged with a violation of an abuse prevention order.
McDonough was also arrested in Oakland, Maine, on the same charge a short time after the incident in Worcester.
The security alert issued by the College stated that the abuse prevention order was filed against him by another Bowdoin student. In addition to allegedly harassing the student, McDonough behaved inappropriately toward staff members.
Though a restraining order is often enough to deter individuals from making contact with the restricted person or location, this has not been the case with McDonough.
"He has shown a propensity to violate these orders in the past," said Nichols.
Given McDonough's recurring violations, Nichols stressed that watchfulness in the community is essential.
"We are very vigilant and alert about it and that's why we have asked the entire community to help us out," said Nichols. "It's a coordinated effort, and we need each other to keep this a safe community."
Though trying to locate a single individual on campus with two or three officers at night can be like trying to find "a needle in a haystack," Nichols said that having the eyes of all students makes a significant difference.
If a student sees McDonough or his vehicle?a blue 2005 Ford F-350 pickup truck?on or around campus, he or she is asked to call Security immediately.
According to Nichols, Security has been working closely with the Brunswick Police Department (BPD) in recent weeks to enforce McDonough's ban on campus. If McDonough were to come in contact with the student who filed the restraining order or step onto campus, both Security and the BPD would become involved.
"He would be arrested for a criminal trespass and also for violating the protection abuse order," said Nichols.
In addition, any form of contact with the student who issued the abuse prevention order, whether by phone, e-mail, or in person, is prohibited.