2008 Woodie Awards
Firearms are the newest hot topic for colleges
Jeffrey Sawyer
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Headlines
Since the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, firearms on college campuses have become a hot topic nationwide. While state legislatures in Utah and Oklahoma are taking steps to make it possible for anyone with a concealed weapons permit to carry a handgun on campus, Oregon is still debating whether campus public safety officers should be able to carry handguns.
Oregon is one of a very few number of states who do not allow their universities' public safety officers to carry firearms. ASWOU will be holding a panel, 'Bullets to Books' to discuss this very issue on Tuesday, April 15, at 12 p.m., in the Oregon Room of the Werner University Center.
Under current State laws, university public safety officers in Oregon can not be equipped with handguns. Schools who want armed security officers must hire from off-campus law enforcement agencies. Right now, both OSU and U of O are the only schools within the Oregon University System to hire officers from off campus.
The Oregon State Legislature debated a bill during the 2007 legislative session that would have authorized campus public safety officers to carry handguns. One such bill, House Bill 3318, mandated that all public safety officers be trained to police standards. This would include significant pay increases, more training and upgrades to facilities and equipment. HB 3318 would have cost the OUS up to $4.5 million every two years, according to OUS vice chancellor, Jay Kenton. HB 3318 was sponsored by Western public safety officer, Mike Silver. According to Silver, a similar bill may be submited for the next legislative session in 2009.
Currently in the event of a shooting on campus, public safety would respond by contacting Monmouth Police Department first and then cordoning off the area. The Monmouth PD would then take control of the situation once on the scene. Public safety officers cannot deal directly with the situation because they have no real way of protecting themselves in such an instance, but will protect students to the "best of their ability," said Western public safety director, Jay Carey.
Oregon is one of a very few number of states who do not allow their universities' public safety officers to carry firearms. ASWOU will be holding a panel, 'Bullets to Books' to discuss this very issue on Tuesday, April 15, at 12 p.m., in the Oregon Room of the Werner University Center.
Under current State laws, university public safety officers in Oregon can not be equipped with handguns. Schools who want armed security officers must hire from off-campus law enforcement agencies. Right now, both OSU and U of O are the only schools within the Oregon University System to hire officers from off campus.
The Oregon State Legislature debated a bill during the 2007 legislative session that would have authorized campus public safety officers to carry handguns. One such bill, House Bill 3318, mandated that all public safety officers be trained to police standards. This would include significant pay increases, more training and upgrades to facilities and equipment. HB 3318 would have cost the OUS up to $4.5 million every two years, according to OUS vice chancellor, Jay Kenton. HB 3318 was sponsored by Western public safety officer, Mike Silver. According to Silver, a similar bill may be submited for the next legislative session in 2009.
Currently in the event of a shooting on campus, public safety would respond by contacting Monmouth Police Department first and then cordoning off the area. The Monmouth PD would then take control of the situation once on the scene. Public safety officers cannot deal directly with the situation because they have no real way of protecting themselves in such an instance, but will protect students to the "best of their ability," said Western public safety director, Jay Carey.
Be the first to comment on this story