Among the many confrontations Security Officer David Elizalde has had with angry ticket recipients, he remembers one threat where a student drove through the East Campus security kiosk and told him he was coming back with a gun to kill him.
Elizalde, who has worked for City College’s security team for five years, said the threat on his life is only one of many threats he’s received, including other forms of harassment and angry comments made by students.
“We’ve had some students go ballistic,” Elizalde said. “Some even try to beat you up.”
He said that about 80 percent of students are calm and understanding, while the other 20 percent of students get angry and rude.
He said he is confronted daily by students angry about getting parking tickets.
In general, students get upset about a ticket when they come back to their car and find a security officer in the process of ticketing the car, Elizalde said.
City College freshman Emily Albertolle is part the 80 percent of students capable of keeping cool when being ticketed.
“I wouldn’t be mad because I’d know I’m in the wrong,” she said.
Other students admit they have reacted differently.
John Goodman said he’s gotten angry about receiving parking tickets and has threatened parking attendants in the past.
“I know it doesn’t get me anywhere,” he said. “The ticket is still there.”
Contrary to the negative reputation, many security officers receive for giving out tickets, some officers say they would rather not ticket students.
Elizalde said if he has the opportunity to let students know what they’re doing wrong, he would rather do that than write them a ticket.
Though Director of Security Erik Fricke said there haven’t been any threats made toward security officers this semester, he said there have been threats made in the past. He also said that officers are trained to handle threats in a specific manner.
“The first thing we train them to do, when possible, is radio for help and try to walk away and talk down the threat being made,” Fricke said.
Elizalde is not alone in ticketing cars parked in unauthorized zones. He works with some 30 security officers with four or five others on duty for daily eight-hour shifts, he said.
While the majority of threats occur at the kiosks, officers also experience threats over the phone.
Alessa Valenzuela, another security officer and City College student, said she receives most angry comments from students calling the security office.
She said she has never been personally threatened, but admits verbal abuse is regular.
“It doesn’t phase me because I don’t give the tickets,” Valenzuela said. “When I explain it to them, they usually calm down.”
Fricke confirmed that the security office does receive student complaint calls.
“We do get people who’ll call with a very long-winded explanation and make criticisms about the security officer, the department, and even the school.”
Despite the unglorified task of handing out parking tickets, City College security personnel also respond to medical emergencies around campus, lock up buildings at night and monitor the campus to keep it safe for students.