Spring Break
Police officers to carry guns by fall
by Lital Shair
News | 5/20/08
Posted online at 7:53 AM EST on 5/20/08
"Deadly force can be employed ONLY when an officer reasonably believes that the action is in defense of human life," the policy reads. "Every means of employing the minimum amount of force [must] be exhausted before moving to a more severe application."
"I think [the continuum of force] was one of the most important pieces of information for students to know … [because] it relieves concerns for students to know that process," said committee member and immediate past Student Union president Shreeya Sinha '09. According to Sinha, it was important for students "just to know that there would be verbal warnings" before officers would use a firearm, so that "students also know that this is a very carefully thought-out implementation process."
The policy also discusses that officers must receive physical, psychological and sensitivity training. "All of the officers had to go through a medical testing process, … and they had to go through a group psychological test and individual psychological test," said Callahan.
"It is the goal of the psychological evaluation process to ensure that only mature and well controlled police officers are equipped with weapons," said Callahan in an e-mail to the Justice. "All of the psychological evaluations inclusive of individual, group and written tests were initiated to determine if there were any mental health/emotional stability concerns as well as any aggressive/violent tendencies that would eliminate an officer from carrying a firearm," wrote Callahan.
The policy says that in a seminar titled "Managing Cultural Diversity at Brandeis," officers learned how to deal with cultural differences and values, how to understand body language in communication and how to "work through actual conflict case resolution."
According to Callahan, after completing the aforementioned training, officers completed an extensive two-week program with the Waltham police. Officers must be recertified to carry weapons every six months, said Callahan. According to Callahan, all Public Safety officers who carry firearms must possess a license to carry a firearm issued by the Waltham Police Department upon completion of training by Waltham Police firearms instructors certified by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council.
"I think [the continuum of force] was one of the most important pieces of information for students to know … [because] it relieves concerns for students to know that process," said committee member and immediate past Student Union president Shreeya Sinha '09. According to Sinha, it was important for students "just to know that there would be verbal warnings" before officers would use a firearm, so that "students also know that this is a very carefully thought-out implementation process."
The policy also discusses that officers must receive physical, psychological and sensitivity training. "All of the officers had to go through a medical testing process, … and they had to go through a group psychological test and individual psychological test," said Callahan.
"It is the goal of the psychological evaluation process to ensure that only mature and well controlled police officers are equipped with weapons," said Callahan in an e-mail to the Justice. "All of the psychological evaluations inclusive of individual, group and written tests were initiated to determine if there were any mental health/emotional stability concerns as well as any aggressive/violent tendencies that would eliminate an officer from carrying a firearm," wrote Callahan.
The policy says that in a seminar titled "Managing Cultural Diversity at Brandeis," officers learned how to deal with cultural differences and values, how to understand body language in communication and how to "work through actual conflict case resolution."
According to Callahan, after completing the aforementioned training, officers completed an extensive two-week program with the Waltham police. Officers must be recertified to carry weapons every six months, said Callahan. According to Callahan, all Public Safety officers who carry firearms must possess a license to carry a firearm issued by the Waltham Police Department upon completion of training by Waltham Police firearms instructors certified by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
mike rosenberg
posted 5/20/08 @ 2:19 PM EST
Okay so Brandeis police are going to carry real guns.... the real question is are they going to carry real bullets? If so, why? A large person, and even a riot can be stopped with non-lethal ammunition such as rubber bullets. (Continued…)
Alan Royals
posted 5/20/08 @ 11:11 PM EST
I'd like to thank those in charge of this decision for taking measures like this to help ensure the safety of the Brandeis community. Keep it up!
Gideon Klionsky
Gideon Klionsky
posted 5/22/08 @ 7:11 AM EST
Let's hope that among the "cultural differences and values" the police are learning to "deal with" is NOT the value of gunmen entering classrooms of studying Jewish students. (Continued…)
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