When undergraduate student Ahmad Arain went missing July 23,
university police chose to take the lead in investigating his
disappearance. But in the weeks since, the flow of public
information about the case has slowed to an excruciating
trickle.
Arain, a fourth-year computer science student, was seen last
commuting to UCLA from Anaheim on a city bus for an academic
counseling appointment.
In most missing-persons cases, investigations are handled by the
police department with jurisdiction over the area in which the
individual was last seen.
In this instance, Arain was dropped off by a relative to catch a
bus in Anaheim. But, since Arain was headed to the UCLA campus,
UCPD decided to take charge.
In recent weeks, UCPD has failed to clarify central details,
raising questions about its effectiveness in handling the case.
What has an investigation of Arain’s computer revealed?
Did he appear on video surveillance from other buses or businesses
in the area? Where exactly did he exit the bus?
UCPD has been silent for more than 10 days. Not since Aug. 5
““ when surveillance footage showing Arain exiting the No. 305
MTA bus was released ““ has the agency released an update on
the case.
Repeated inquiries to UCPD by The Bruin about the investigation
have gone unanswered ““Â likely because the director of
police community services, Nancy Greenstein, has been on
vacation.
The agency’s Aug. 5 update reported that Arain transferred
buses at the Manchester Harbor Transitway Station despite prior
briefings that indicated he transferred at the Imperial/Wilmington
Rosa Parks Station.
Such ambiguity casts doubt on exactly where Arain exited the bus
““ a detail that should have been resolved weeks ago.
Campus administrators also have been silent about the case. In
the past, UCLA’s administration sent university-wide e-mails
regarding serious campus or security issues. So far, no mass e-mail
has been sent to ask for tips or to alert the campus community
about Arain’s disappearance.
Arain’s uncle, Rafe Husain, has expressed aggravation with
UCPD.
“(The department is) not taking it as aggressively as (it)
could. “¦ Now we are spanning out. We have hired a private
detective. “¦ People advised us to get one. (UCPD goes) home
on weekends, and he doesn’t,” he said.
Arain’s family and several friends have dedicated many
hours to their own unofficial investigation and awareness efforts.
But they are helpless without information on where to direct their
efforts.
If UCPD is capable of handling serious cases, such as
Arain’s and the substantial investigation into the cadaver
theft in the Willed Body Program it undertook in spring, it needs
to prove its capability to the public.
If UCLA is a community and UCPD its police force, it seems
difficult to justify the degree of silence surrounding this
incident.
Time is a crucial factor in uncovering the truth about what
happened July 23 ““Â and too much time has passed. Even if
no foul play occurred, UCPD should be more transparent about the
investigation.
There has been no news about Arain’s disappearance for
nearly two weeks. Either UCPD knows more than it is saying, or it
knows nothing more ““Â both prospects should be
frightening to this community.