Letter to the Editor: Unprofessional security

I would like to share the discomfort I have with the recent experiences I have witnessed with the Cal Aggie Hosts on the UC Davis campus.  After attending several events on the campus in recent weeks I have experienced a great deal of harassment against the college population.  Being an alum of Davis I began to feel sorry for the students who are currently attending the university. Not only do they now have to pay increased fees to attend the university, but the shows and events they support in the community should be a time to enjoy, not be harassed.

Recently I attended the benefit concert for HOPE, which is an amazing organization that does wonders for the community. The various students and community members attending the show offered their gratitude and support toward not only the HOPE organization, but the show’s performers as well. 

The only unpleasant experience throughout the show was the Cal Aggie Hosts shining lights, harassing students and disrupting the pleasant experience viewers were trying to have. The Cal Aggie Hosts created such a distraction that I felt it took away from the performers and their performances. The constant disruptions and unnecessary behavior toward attendees made the Cal Aggie Hosts look unprofessional. The pinnacle moment that stunned me was when the Cal Aggie Hosts ejected someone from the crowd who was enjoying the show with friends. Consistently misjudging situations and harassing paying customers at events seems to be a norm of the Cal Aggie Hosts.

I believe when students are asked to regulate other students and community members there is a mentality of authority that too many Cal Aggie Hosts let go to their head. The Cal Aggie Hosts act too much like police officers, which THEY ARE NOT. As a viewer who wants to attend these events and have an enjoyable time, I find it hard to achieve due to the continuous harassment I witness from the Cal Aggie Hosts. I regret to inform everyone that due to the Cal Aggie Hosts’ misguidance in how to regulate crowd control I will not be supporting and attending events that use Cal Aggie Hosts. This is a shame because my family and I enjoy Whole Earth Festival, Picnic Day and other events that Cal Aggie Hosts happen to work, but what I witnessed recently terrifies me in how I might get treated in the future attending one of these events. I will do my best to spread the word of how unprofessional the Cal Aggie Hosts have been.

ALEX BYRNE