Stronger security at Sheridan College

Sheridan College’s Trafalgar Campus in Oakville is beefing up security after a slew of sexual assaults over the last six months.

Halton Police say they believe the incidents are related, and that the suspect appears to be using the trail system adjacent to campus. Over the past few months some students have become wary of using it.

“It doesn’t feel safe to walk through right now at all.”

“(It’s) kind of unsafe I guess. So I just go around it, but its pretty scary.”

There were three attacks on campus between August and October, including a sexual assault on the trail system. Another woman was sexually assaulted on the pathway this Tuesday, and Thursday night another assault took place on a campus sidewalk. The victim was grabbed from behind by her backpack while walking outside on campus. She managed to break free, hitting the suspect with her bag before he ran away.

“I was walking back from class right around that time. It could have been me.”

Police are looking for a tall man with a medium build, wearing a dark coloured jacket with a lined hood and a ski mask. He may have a bite mark on one of his hands after Tuesday’s sex assault.

Walking around the forest to get home is an option, but some students say it’s just faster to go through the wooded area.

Sheridan owns the land, but leases the pathways to the Town of Oakville, and it’s the town’s responsibility to light the trails.

Security director Michael Burjaw says some of them are lit now, but some still aren’t: “We want to provide additional lighting in the trail system as quickly as the spring of this year.”

Burjaw says they’re working with the town on the project, and are looking at possibly installing security cameras in the woods: “We’re taking it very seriously. We’ve increased our security patrols, we’re adding additional security patrols. We’re working closely with police to have an officer on site.”

The school has also added a utility vehicle to patrol the paths in the winter. Burjaw says it increases security’s visibility and makes it easier to keep watch on the forest.

Students are being urged to walk with purpose, travel in groups and be aware of their surroundings.

There is an online student-led petition asking Oakville to give the school full control of the path. In an email, the town tells CHCH News it is cooperating fully with the college to implement security measures.