More information has been released by the Cal Poly University Police Department (UPD) regarding the incident in Robert E. Kennedy Library Tuesday morning where a male in his early 50s was caught masturbating at a desk on the fourth floor.
The witness, a female student, reported the man to library management immediately, who then contacted UPD to respond. UPD responded immediately with multiple officers who searched the entire library. The suspect was not found.
“We searched for a good 45 minutes to an hour,” UPD commander Lori Hashim said. “We searched every room, including the restrooms.”
Information on how many possible suspects there are could not be released by UPD due to security reasons.
“We don’t have a specific person of interest, we don’t have a lead suspect,” Hashim said. “We just have some possibilities we are looking at.”
Management at the library has confirmed that the library is monitored by numerous security systems, including recorded surveillance cameras. Campus police said they are utilizing the surveillance footage in their investigation to help identify the suspect.
“We’re utilizing every piece of information possible and doing everything we can,” Hashim said.
UPD hopes to finalize the case as soon as possible. An officer has been assigned to further investigate the case but UPD is not releasing the officer’s name at this time.
Even though some students find this incident to be unusual, Hashim said it’s not uncommon.
“I went back and looked at stats for the past two academic school years; there was one reported last year and this one this year,” Hashim said. “Every once in a while it happens. It’s not a huge problem, and we don’t want it to become a huge problem.”
UPD police chief Bill Watton echoed Hashim’s statement.
“For whatever reason, the library seems to be the favorite place,” Watton said. “That’s where we’ve seen several of these incidents.”
UPD said they are currently increasing surveillance and security in and around the library.
More incidents such as last Tuesday’s exposure could have happened in the past years, and simply haven’t been reported to UPD. Hashim said it is important for both students and faculty alike to report any suspicious activity that is witnessed anywhere on campus.
“What we would really like to see (is the witnesses) take a cell phone picture,” Watton said. “So pull your camera out and take a picture of them and call us right away. Try to get a picture, but don’t ever jeopardize your own safety.”
Watton said although they are definitely taking the case seriously, UPD is not considering any one’s life to be in danger.
“In these types of things, it’s typically not a life safety issue, but it is disgusting,” Watton said. “So not being a life safety issue, it generally doesn’t generate a campus-wide warning.”
With UPD still investigating the case, and the possibility of the 50-year-old public masturbator returning, Hashim said security around campus will be higher than normal. UPD wants all students to keep an eye out, and report anything they see.
“Any time any students see somebody or something suspicious that just doesn’t fit — anything that’s out of the ordinary, no matter how big or how little it is — call 911,” Hashim said. “We want to make certain that our students are safe and successful here.”
Video produced by Morgan Chappell/CPTV
Correction: We originally published that UPD had detained several possible suspects. Police chief Bill Watton said they have not detained any suspects, but are looking into several people. This has been corrected in the article. We apologize for the confusion.