The University Takes it Up A Notch

I've been telling the story of my trespassing battle back to front over the last few days, and now we're pretty much caught up to the present. I was on campus five times last week, and I was apprehended and charged twice with trespassing. (A third time I just made it out the doors before they caught up with me.) The last time I was arrested they held me six hours before they got around to writing me a ticket. I thought that was a little much so this week I wrote the Chief of Security as follows:

Dear Mr. Grainger:

I wonder if we could come to some kind of understanding as to how we are going to proceed in the future with the trespassing issue? If you choose to continue to enforce the order, I understand you have the right to detain me for as long as reasonably necessary in order to process the charges. However, since you have my name and address on record, and since I am prepared to go on record as undertaking to leave the campus whenever requested and not return on the same day (and I am willing to post a bond to that effect if necessary), I see no reason for the police to be called each time I am apprehended on campus. Can you not phone in the complaint and have them mail me a ticket? It seems to me this is the most sensible way to proceed.

I want to make it clear that I have no problem with the way I have been treated by you or your security staff, who have been courteous and respectful to me throughout. I cannot say the same for your night
superivisor, who thought it appropriate to gloat over the fact of my
extended detention (six hours) and brag that he could keep me there as long as he wanted if the police didn't come. Please remind your staff that your powers to detain are based strictly on the reasonable necessity of processing charges, and are not to be used as a means of extra-judicial punishment or intimidation.

Marty Green

The University of Winnipeg didn't think much of that. In fact, they decided they were no longer satisfied to issue me with the equivalent of traffic tickets at $113 a pop...they were now going to step it up to the Criminal Code:

Mr. Green the University will continue to proceed as we have. Should you attend the University and are apprehended you will be held pending the arrival of the Police. Whether you are apprehended or not, on advice from a Crown Attorney, the University will now request that the Police proceed with the Criminal Code offence of mischief instead of an offence under the Petty Trespass Act.

Martin Grainger
Director, Security Services and Emergency Preparedness
The University of Winnipeg