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OP-ED:Urge to arm police Irrational
by Ben Serby
Op-Ed | 10/2/07
Posted online at 9:49 PM EST on 10/1/07
/ Last updated at 1:49 AM EST on 10/1/07
I generally feel safe on the Brandeis campus. I would guess that most students here feel the same way-and with good reason: A look at Security on Campus Inc.'s Web site reveals that overall, we enjoy an atmosphere remarkably free of crime, compared with other well-heeled universities. Brandeis students can also feel at ease about the fact that no incident has ever arisen that necessitated the use of a firearm and that could not be addressed by the Waltham Police Department, whose officers carry firearms. Although we use our own public safety officers, the Waltham Police have jurisdiction here, just as they would anywhere else in Waltham. We can feel secure knowing that, should something occur, the police can be here in as little as two minutes.
Considering all of the above, I find it hard to imagine a situation that would justify the recent decision by University President Jehuda Reinharz to arm public safety officers. Obviously, the history of past incidents of crime on campus is not the whole guide by which to judge the merits of arming. The decision is meant to provide for an uncertain future.
The administration believes that public safety officers ought to be armed in order to protect Brandeis in the type of situation in which firearms are needed and in which the Waltham police are, for some reason, unable to respond. Well, what sort of situation are we talking about? I spoke with one of the two undergraduates who sat on the Firearms Advisory Committee, which ultimately issued the recommendation in favor of arming to Reinharz. The scenario he presented is paraphrased as follows: "There has been a nuclear attack, and all of the police in Waltham are busy; in that window of time, someone opens fire on campus. Brandeis public safety officers, being unarmed, would be at a disadvantage, so who would respond?"
I question whether this is an adequate argument for arming public safety officers.
I can appreciate that the administration is trying to ensure our safety, but it seems irrational to prepare for such an unlikely scenario. If there is any benefit to arming, it is slight; the decision feels more like a gesture made in the wake of recent events on other campuses.
Considering all of the above, I find it hard to imagine a situation that would justify the recent decision by University President Jehuda Reinharz to arm public safety officers. Obviously, the history of past incidents of crime on campus is not the whole guide by which to judge the merits of arming. The decision is meant to provide for an uncertain future.
The administration believes that public safety officers ought to be armed in order to protect Brandeis in the type of situation in which firearms are needed and in which the Waltham police are, for some reason, unable to respond. Well, what sort of situation are we talking about? I spoke with one of the two undergraduates who sat on the Firearms Advisory Committee, which ultimately issued the recommendation in favor of arming to Reinharz. The scenario he presented is paraphrased as follows: "There has been a nuclear attack, and all of the police in Waltham are busy; in that window of time, someone opens fire on campus. Brandeis public safety officers, being unarmed, would be at a disadvantage, so who would respond?"
I question whether this is an adequate argument for arming public safety officers.
I can appreciate that the administration is trying to ensure our safety, but it seems irrational to prepare for such an unlikely scenario. If there is any benefit to arming, it is slight; the decision feels more like a gesture made in the wake of recent events on other campuses.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 12
Yoni Litwok
posted 10/02/07 @ 7:26 AM EST
Tell a Waltham cop that there was a shooting in Goldfarb. If he gets there within 5 minutes Id be shocked. Waltham cops do not know a single building on campus. (Continued…)
Yoni Litwok
posted 10/02/07 @ 4:39 PM EST
I should have stated my opinion a little differently. The person who published this article is clueless. The fact that it is stated that it can take Waltham cops two minutes to respond to a shooting is absurd. (Continued…)
Ben Serby
posted 10/03/07 @ 4:28 PM EST
If you read the article, you would have found the following prominent paragraph: "In the past couple of years, we've been hearing random students discuss how they've been treated by the police, especially black, Hispanic and GLBT students," said Union Community Integration Coordinator Peggy M. (Continued…)
Amy Padva
posted 10/03/07 @ 5:40 PM EST
To cite the alleged prejudices demonstrated by the Brandeis police as an argument against arming them is illogical. Has the NYPD (or any other police force) ever been accused of racial bias? Yes. (Continued…)
Ben Serby
posted 10/04/07 @ 11:07 PM EST
The point isn't merely that specific groups of students have felt targeted by the campus public safety - although that is a concern, and one for which people posting here seem to have remarkably little sensitivity. (Continued…)
Yoni Litwok
posted 10/05/07 @ 8:40 AM EST
At least you admit that your piece contains "irrelevant scraps of information"
Ben Serby
posted 10/06/07 @ 6:03 PM EST
Once again, you are unable to respond to the arguments. Why are you wasting your time attacking people, if you have nothing constructive to say? Yoni, you graduated last year. (Continued…)
David Altszuler
posted 10/07/07 @ 4:50 PM EST
Mr. Serby's article is flawed from the first paragraph. Brandeis does not have public safety officers, or security guards as later mentioned. We have police officers; officers that attend the same police academy as the Waltham police officers. (Continued…)
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