With the help of duct tape and some ingenuity, University of Winnipeg students used a homemade surveillance system to catch a campus security guard surfing pornographic websites on school computers.

The story started after a routine check-up revealed porn sites in the web history of a computer belonging to the U of W Physics Student Association (UWPSA), reported member Josh Boulding.

“For six weeks we collected evidence,” he said.

The intruder made no secret of his activity.

“Several times the website was left on the screen,” Boulding said. “Once, a suspicious paper towel was found on the floor.”

Students denied accessing these sites, which were visited after the school closed at night.

The association’s computer is not on the U of W’s network and access to sites, including ones that contain porn, is not limited.

Seeking answers, students hid a video surveillance camera inside a Star Wars helmet in the association’s room.

The setup worked, and the camera revealed a security guard on the computer.

“ Several times the website was left on the screen.

Josh Boulding, University of Winnipeg Physics Student Association

Once they got the image they needed, the students provided it to the department head, who took it to head of security David Mauro.

Mauro was tight-lipped about the situation, citing privacy legislation.

“I won’t confirm anything in relation to employees or contract employees,” he said. “It would be irresponsible.”

When asked what the procedure would be in this scenario, Mauro spoke hypothetically.

“We would have to confirm it first. Depending on the specific situation, the contract employee may or may not be interviewed. We would contact the contractors… inform them and recommend the employee be re-deployed to another site.”

But in an e-mail to the association, Mauro wrote “the security guard you (UWPSA members) discovered using the computer in the lounge was removed from the University work site.”

“I sincerely regret that my department created an unprofessional and uncomfortable environment for you all,” he further wrote in the e-mail to members.

Mike Lang, president of the UWPSA, said Mauro confirmed the employee would be moved.

Mauro wrote the security guard on tape was a contract worker at the university and not a U of W employee.

The U of W contracts Garda Security, who was unavailable for comment before press time.

Although the situation constitutes a breach in performance and is considered a maintenance issue, such maintenance issues arise for managers in every sphere, Mauro said in an interview.

The police were not involved as the pornography was not illicit.

“This isn’t a situation where the guy did something so disturbing that he can never be a security guard again,” Mauro said.

He also praised the association’s investigative skills in his e-mail.

“Your (UWPSA’s) investigative diligence was pretty creative and nothing short of amazing. In all my years in policing and security, I have never seen such an effective, low cost solution to covert surveillance!” he wrote.

In an interview, Mauro acknowledged that there have been problems in the past with university security guards.

“We have, for any number of reasons, requested that guards be re-deployed,” Mauro said. “It’s not unusual.”

Mauro cited conduct, performance and poor image as the main reasons for a guard to be re-deployed. Poor image refers mainly to the state of their uniform and hygiene.

“The nature of the industry is that we’re always competing to recruit the best security guards we can,” said Mauro. “That means letting some go to get better guards in.”

Mauro noted that the majority of guards on campus are excellent.