Spring Break
After shootings, University police, again, say they should be armed
by Rachel Marder
Senior Editor
News | 4/24/07
Posted online at 10:54 PM EST on 4/23/07
/ Last updated at 6:43 AM EST on 4/23/07
Following the shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute last week, senior administrators at Brandeis sought to assure the campus that the University has a comprehensive plan to handle such emergencies. But some campus police officers disputed that assertion, describing the emergency plan as ambiguous, and one that leaves them powerless to respond to serious emergencies.
The officers, one of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the massacre in Blacksburg again calls into question the University policy that prohibits officers from carrying guns. In a situation like the Virginia Tech shooting, the officers said, they would be unable to protect themselves or the community. The anonymous one said that such an emergency would likely spur officers to leave campus rather than act unarmed.
Ronald Haley, the president of the Union that represents the campus police, said the administration does not adequately utilize the police force, even though virtually all Brandeis officers are trained to carry a firearm. Currently, officers are permitted to carry a night stick and pepper spray.
"Am I supposed to get shot for the sake of Brandeis?" Haley asked in a phone interview Saturday. "I think it's ludicrous and ridiculous, but [the administration] won't listen to us."
In a campuswide e-mail Friday, University President Jehuda Reinharz wrote, "I want each and every member of the Brandeis community to know that the administration has in place an emergency procedures program, which we update regularly."
He referred requests for comment on the officers' dispute of his e-mail to the campus police.
Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said the University's Emergency Response and Notification Plan includes state-of-the-art protocols for communicating a crisis situation to the campus and the Waltham Police and for evacuating the community to main buildings, such as the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, if needed. Varying protocols exist depending on the emergency, he said.
The officers, one of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the massacre in Blacksburg again calls into question the University policy that prohibits officers from carrying guns. In a situation like the Virginia Tech shooting, the officers said, they would be unable to protect themselves or the community. The anonymous one said that such an emergency would likely spur officers to leave campus rather than act unarmed.
Ronald Haley, the president of the Union that represents the campus police, said the administration does not adequately utilize the police force, even though virtually all Brandeis officers are trained to carry a firearm. Currently, officers are permitted to carry a night stick and pepper spray.
"Am I supposed to get shot for the sake of Brandeis?" Haley asked in a phone interview Saturday. "I think it's ludicrous and ridiculous, but [the administration] won't listen to us."
In a campuswide e-mail Friday, University President Jehuda Reinharz wrote, "I want each and every member of the Brandeis community to know that the administration has in place an emergency procedures program, which we update regularly."
He referred requests for comment on the officers' dispute of his e-mail to the campus police.
Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said the University's Emergency Response and Notification Plan includes state-of-the-art protocols for communicating a crisis situation to the campus and the Waltham Police and for evacuating the community to main buildings, such as the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, if needed. Varying protocols exist depending on the emergency, he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Paul Trusten '73
posted 4/24/07 @ 10:11 AM EST
The reaction of Brandeis University officials to the need for arming
campus police is analogous to the long-term reaction of
the Nation to the events of September 11, 2001--fatal indifference. (Continued…)
James Sanders
posted 4/24/07 @ 1:44 PM EST
Jehuda had said back in the late 90s that as long as he's president Brandeis cops won't be armed. Even after the murder suicide in Usdan a while back. (Continued…)
Stuart Gold
posted 4/24/07 @ 6:19 PM EST
Of course campus police should be armed. Why even have campus police unless they can act for the purpose they now exist - largely to protect the students ? Claiming the Virginia Tech massacre was an aberration is not only irrelevant it's not true; there are many similar - even if less horrific and less publized -incidents on college campuses, and unbalanced and/or homicidal individuals, knowing the police are unarmed, will act even more boldly. (Continued…)
LilB
LilB
posted 4/27/07 @ 12:41 PM EST
There was a shooting in Levin Ballroom in October 1995. Not by any stretch a murderous rampage like Virginia Tech, nor were the shooter or victim even Brandeis students at the time. (Continued…)
Michael Schakow '01
posted 4/28/07 @ 1:35 AM EST
Not arming Brandeis police is beyond silly. I worked side by side with Campus Safety as a BEMCo Supervisor in 2000-01, and this was a raging debate back then. (Continued…)
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