A Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International University One copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents. Vol. 26 Issue 43 fiusm.com Friday, November 21, 2014 Police address CHILLIN’ faculty concerns about safety on campus ADRIAN SUAREZ AVILA BBC. However, he admitted that Staff Writer guards are present at EC during [email protected] afternoon and evening shifts, patrolling the parking lots and For the University Faculty responding to calls when they are Senate, campus safety is a major made. concern. The issue is funding for To address the Faculty’s payroll. concerns, University Police Casas said that if he had more Chief Alexander Casas delivered money for officers, he would have a campus safety update to the three of them in the EC every members during the Tuesday, day. However, in the present DIEGO SALDAÑA- ROJAS/THE BEACON Nov. 18, meeting. situation, the Police Department Georgia Talania, a senior studying English and Japanese, and Sylvanna Loo, a junior in East Osama Mohammed, a deploys officers depending on the Asian studies, walk from SIPA after class wearing warmer clothes to combat the cold weather. professor of electrical and demands of its available services. Wednesday’s cold front and rain caused a notable change in fashion around campus. computer engineering, said he Whitney Bauman, associate rarely sees police officers in the professor in the Department of Engineering Center, a concern Religious Studies, asked if there decreases in filed complaints safety on campus — so much that happily,” said Casas. “That’s how reiterated by Elisabeth Beristain- was any possibility to make and use of force by officers, he he’d move in himself. safe I think this campus is.” Moreiras, a marketing instructor use of body cameras for police acknowledged he would prefer “If you saw fit to build me a Another main concern: who teaches at the Biscayne Bay officers. more research to be conducted residence [in the University], not police possession of weapons Campus. While Chief Casas admitted on how the cameras work before quite as big as the president’s, but on campus, along with other Casas said that at least two that he was in favor of acquiring purchasing them for his officers. where I can bring my [family,] officers are always on duty at body cameras, given news of Casas said he has faith in the I would live on this campus, SEE FACULTY, PAGE 2 FIU alumnus finds strength Students assaulted through handcycling after name-calling handcycle. “My handcycle now is RAUL HERRERA The vehicle shares the about 14 years old,” said Staff Writer concept of a bicycle; the Baltodano. “It’s a bicycle [email protected] only difference between that normally goes for the two is that a handcycle about four-thousand, five- Two FIU students were attacked near the dorms by campus requires hand pedaling. thousand grand.” visitors in early October. Handcycling has He said that this is due The incident, which occurred near the University Park proven to be a sport where to the carbon fiber used in Towers on Oct. 2, resulted in three battery charges. Holvin could prosper for his bike. According to an FIU Police Department report, the students the last 14 years. He has “The frame has a better were making their way to the Towers building when a group of competed in events like aerodynamic style, plus three females taunted them by saying, “You ugly.” the Miami Half Marathon, the colors are very bright One of the victims confronted the taunters by asking what a 13.1-mile race, and and the component makes she had said. The three suspects all dropped their belongings and began to fight one of the students. The other student attempted to pull NICOLAS OLIVERA/THE BEACON them away from her friend, but she, too, was caught in the fight. FIU Alum Holvin Baltodano decorates his table with The victims both reported injuries in their heads, with one photos and a display board of him representing the being found with scratches on her right cheek and abdomen. University at competitions. My handcycle now is about 14 years old. They provided their testimony to campus police, but refused to It’s a bicycle that normally goes for about seek medical attention. Despite his four-thousand, five-thousand grand. Later that day, one of the victims reported seeing Twitter NICOLAS OLIVERA frustrations, Baltodano posts made by the suspects. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, they reported Staff Writer was not going to put an end Holvin Baltodano to police one of the suspects’ full name. During the incident, [email protected] to his passion for sports. Alumnus she had been referred to as “Quisha.” Instead, he opted to find a FIU On Sunday, Oct. 8, the victims both agreed to press charges, For FIU alumnus sport that catered to those and provided written statements. The three suspects, who Holvin Baltodano, bound to wheelchairs. allegedly have no affiliation to the University, were identified. being an athlete while “I started playing the Miami Marathon, a it very expensive,” he Campus police detectives contacted the first suspect, who handicapped is no basketball,” Holvin said. 26.2mile race. said. Costs also include agreed to come to the station. She was read her rights and obstacle. “But forget it. I sucked.” He has also participated gloves, helmet, sunglasses then confessed to attacking the students. She was arrested and An avid soccer player, Holvin eventually in the Homestead and a suit. charged with simple battery. Baltodano was forced to found his sport – Speedway Freedom Ride, His bike also needed The two other alleged perpetrators arrived at the police put his athletic dreams on handcycling. Rather than which is hosted by the some repairs and a station on Friday, Oct. 14, and both confessed to being part hold at a young age, after having to use his legs for Everglades Bicycle Club. different set of wheels of the fight. They were charged with simple battery, and were a severe car accident left support, the sport allowed Unfortunately, composed of the pricey given trespassing warnings to prevent them from returning to him paralyzed from the him to use the force of handcycling is a costly campus. waist down. his arms to power his sport. SEE ALUMNUS, PAGE 2 2 The Beacon – Friday, November 21, 2014 NEWS fiusm.com NATION & WORLD Chief of police addresses BRIEFS Faculty Senate safety concerns Miss Honduras Maria Jose Alvarado and sister found dead FACULTY, PAGE 1 I get that,” said Casas in regards to the concerns of the Faculty Senate of A top criminal law enforcement official military-grade equipment. the weapons on campus. “All I want in Honduras on Wednesday confirmed the As part of his faculty senate to do is have an opportunity to make I’m not here to change discovery of the bodies of Miss Honduras report, Chief Casas informed those you a little more comfortable with your minds. You have 2014 and her sister near the spa where they in attendance about the weapons in why we got this [equipment.]” opinions on this, and I disappeared six days ago. their possession, including 50 M16 But officers can’t simply use the get that. All I want to do Leandro Osorio, who heads the National rifles, a command bus and a Mine- equipment without prior training. is have an opportunity Directorate of Criminal Investigation, told Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle All officers must complete over 40 the media in Honduras that officials could — equipment obtained from the Law hours of police training, focusing not to make you a little more “confirm 100 percent” that two bodies found Enforcement Support Office Program just on tactics, but also high-stress comfortable with why we buried were those of beauty queen Maria Jose following the Department of Defense scenarios and incidents involving got this [equipment.] Alvarado, 19, and her sister, Sofia Trinidad, 1033 program. individuals with mental issues. A 23. Osorio also said investigators had found Alexander Casas both the murder weapon and vehicle allegedly Whereas the department previously two-day training session must also Chief used in the slayings. owned about 12 rifles to be used by a be completed before officers can use Plutarco Ruiz, Trinidad’s boyfriend, and staff of over 60 officers, the recent 50 the rifles, all to ensure that they are University Police Department an alleged accomplice, Aris Maldonado, have additions allow the police officers at proficient in handling the weapons been arrested in connection with the case. the University to be better prepared to correctly. and in the Century movie theater in The two sisters disappeared after attending handle risky situations. To be better prepared to handle Aurora, Colorado, stating that these a birthday party for Ruiz on Thursday. The benefit of having more rifles a situation at the University, the incidents are some of the reasons why Maria Jose Alvarado had been scheduled to doesn’t end there, Casas said. officers train in the dorms as a means the University has the M16s. leave for London on Sunday to compete in the Rifles work safest when they of familiarizing themselves with the “It’s my job to prepare for Miss World 2014 pageant. are personalized for the needs of environment they will have to protect. that extraordinary incident that is the officer using it, Casas said. For Addressing the general concern extraordinarily rare in occurrence and Japan plans to resume whaling example, for officers that are right- over the rifles, Casas referenced past highly [improbable], but extremely or left-eye dominant. Having more shootings in Columbine High School catastrophic,” said Casas.