Spring Break
Admin defends decision to arm officers
by Rachel Marder
Senior Editor
News | 10/16/07
Posted online at 8:52 PM EST on 10/15/07
/ Last updated at 5:39 AM EST on 10/15/07
Administrators defended University President Jehuda Reinharz's recent decision to arm the campus public safety officers next year at last Thursday's faculty meeting, and a group of students is mobilizing to confront the decision this week.
Chief Operating Officer Peter French, who chaired the firearms advisory committee that submitted a recommendation to Reinharz in favor of arming the officers, discussed the circumstances of the decision and responded to several questions from faculty members. The committee was formed in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute last April.
Ben Serby '08, who formed a Facebook group called "Students for a Gunfree Brandeis" to protest the decision, said he hopes to gather around 30 students to accompany him at Reinharz's office hours this Thursday afternoon to present a petition signed by several hundred students and dozens of faculty and staff who oppose either the decision-making process or the decision to arm in general.
Before officers are armed, they must pass physical and medical examinations and a psychological test, French said. After passing the tests, sergeants will be armed by early May and officers by the end of Spring 2008.
"If any of our police are deemed inappropriate to carry a gun, they will not carry a gun," Reinharz said.
All 20 officers will undergo training by the Waltham police at their training academy, French said, even though eight are already licensed to carry firearms.
"There's urgency attached to Public Safety, and we proceeded as quickly as we could," French said. "The community should be prepared for the worst even if it has not happened here."
At the faculty meeting, Prof. Sabine Von Mering (GRALL) asked French how the committee knows that an armed police force can respond to an emergency more effectively and whether they conducted research on the subject.
French answered that the committee consulted Waltham and Brandeis police officers and solicited outside advice. Von Mering repeated her question, seeking a more complete answer.
Chief Operating Officer Peter French, who chaired the firearms advisory committee that submitted a recommendation to Reinharz in favor of arming the officers, discussed the circumstances of the decision and responded to several questions from faculty members. The committee was formed in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute last April.
Ben Serby '08, who formed a Facebook group called "Students for a Gunfree Brandeis" to protest the decision, said he hopes to gather around 30 students to accompany him at Reinharz's office hours this Thursday afternoon to present a petition signed by several hundred students and dozens of faculty and staff who oppose either the decision-making process or the decision to arm in general.
Before officers are armed, they must pass physical and medical examinations and a psychological test, French said. After passing the tests, sergeants will be armed by early May and officers by the end of Spring 2008.
"If any of our police are deemed inappropriate to carry a gun, they will not carry a gun," Reinharz said.
All 20 officers will undergo training by the Waltham police at their training academy, French said, even though eight are already licensed to carry firearms.
"There's urgency attached to Public Safety, and we proceeded as quickly as we could," French said. "The community should be prepared for the worst even if it has not happened here."
At the faculty meeting, Prof. Sabine Von Mering (GRALL) asked French how the committee knows that an armed police force can respond to an emergency more effectively and whether they conducted research on the subject.
French answered that the committee consulted Waltham and Brandeis police officers and solicited outside advice. Von Mering repeated her question, seeking a more complete answer.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 11
Ben Serby
posted 10/16/07 @ 11:28 AM EST
I would like to point out that the Firearm Advisory Report says the Waltham police take 2 to 5 minutes to get to campus. Somehow, some time between this summer and the time that this article went to print, the Administration decided that it really takes 10 minutes. (Continued…)
David Altszuler
posted 10/18/07 @ 12:57 PM EST
Mr. Serby, have you ever timed the response of the Waltham PD to Brandeis for an assistance call? This is my second year as the Supervisor of BEMCo and I have been on numerous calls where Waltham Police officers were requested to assist with violent patients. (Continued…)
Mary Kay Stoen
posted 10/19/07 @ 4:31 PM EST
Bravo, David Altszuler! Arming campus police is a responsible solution to the real danger of muggers, rapists and unbalanced killers. I wish Virginia Tech's campus police had been armed last April. (Continued…)
Isaac Rabinovitz
posted 10/19/07 @ 9:15 PM EST
Those opposing the measure to arm campus police officers, need to examine their reasoning juxtaposed with some of the ugly REALITIES of life in this era of our contemporary society. (Continued…)
GR8_GUY
posted 10/20/07 @ 6:42 PM EST
Yes Isaac, it is VERY SAD, but not excusable the state of our lazy, unresponsive, "rather take the blue Pill" society. And count on it: MORE STUDENTS WILL DIE because of their attitude b4 things get better! All whilst we intellectually superior have to stand amongst the inferior and continually remind them that "WE TOLD YOU SO!", as we grimace & throw-up at their total dumb & dumber attitude to the real world. (Continued…)
Richard
posted 10/22/07 @ 7:23 AM EST
Just remember that when Seconds Count, the Police are only Minutes Away. Arm the Campus Police AND the Teachers and Students old enough to Legally own a handgun!
A
posted 10/23/07 @ 12:50 PM EST
Riddle me this:
When President Carter came to Brandeis, and when President Clinton will come to Brandeis, will they not have armed security personnel?
Are we to say that these individuals deserve more protection than the student body, professors, trustees, guests, Brandeis police, and anyone else on campus? Are we to believe that the security personel of Presidents is a mere overreaction to the potential threats at Brandeis?
Are we really saying that Brandeis police isn't good enough to protect us? We've taken great strides to improve their effectiveness(sage MIM) and I believe we should continue to give them what they need to be effective. (Continued…)
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