Posted on 06/18/2013 11:19:13 AM PDT by matt04
State officials may soon give police officers at Oregon University (OU) permission to carry firearms for the first time in the school’s 137-year history.
The unarmed officers, currently responsible for the safety of over 24,000 students on the 295-acre campus, rely on Eugene City Police Department officers to diffuse potentially dangerous situations.
The decision, which is set to come down from the State Board of Higher Education on June 21, however, would allow members of the Oregon University Police Department (OUPD) to carry Glock G4s that have already been purchased as part of a plan to arm to the department.
A state official, as well as a spokesperson for the OUPD, told Campus Reform on Monday that the move would give the officers who are most familiar with the campus the tools they need to provide security.
...
Director of Communications for the Oregon University System Diane Saunders said Monday that the Oregon Board of Higher Education was set to arm police officers several years ago but decided to create a waiting period because of a disagreement over whether or not students were in favor of the change.
Since then, the OUPD has engaged in an extensive public relations campaign to help students understand the purpose of arming officers, McGiver said.
“In a campus environment not everyone is going to be in favor of something like this,” said McGiver. “Some people have philosophical opposition to the existence of firearms. We are not out to change their minds or opinions but to help people understand the goal of policing.”
(Excerpt) Read more at campusreform.org ...
So some OU students want to be defenseless while they AND the campus police hide in a corner from a madmen.
They can throw their books and pencils at the gunman. We've been told that this is real effective.
Armed Ducks?
It’s a step in the right direction—but all students who are old enough and have jumped through all the hoops necessary to get their CHL should be allowed to carry on campus.
I have philosophical opposition to the existence of liberals but I haven't yet figured out how to get rid of them. I think the colleges should start a buy back program.
The author, Josiah, needs an editor in the worst way.
As to the concept of armed college campus police, I’ve never seen it any other way here in OK on the state-supported college campuses, going back to my college days in the 1970s. I know that the security personnel at the University of Tulsa are unarmed.
Armed Ducks vs Sitting Ducks
Well met.
I went to two public colleges in MA. One had armed cops, the other did not, though the unarmed ones were all qualified. Ironically, the unarmed cops were at STCC, which is located on the ground of the former Springfield Armory.
You are correct. Despite Oregon’s liberal lunacy we do enjoy freedom when it comes to our firearms rights. The Oregon constitution specifically states our ccw rights can not be denied by local wishes. In fact just about the only place we can’t carry is a federal building.
Yes, I do realize that even a ccw permit is a violation of the 2nd amendment but gotta pick one fight at a time.
What?? Unarmed police? Why even bother.
I went to school at Springfield Tech. Community College, which is on the grounds of the old Springfield Armory. The Campus Police weren’t armed either. They were qualified like they were armed, but but unarmed.
The excuse given was that the Springfield PD was just across the street, so it didn’t matter. I felt safer when the armored car made the rounds twice a week.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.