WHO-TV, IA
04-19-07
Iowa Senate Democrats Defeat Firearms Amendment
April 18, 2007, Des Moines -- Democrats in the Iowa Senate defeated an
amendment Wednesday, which would have required security officers at the
University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa to
carry firearms.
State Senator Pat Ward, a Republican from West Des Moines, sponsored the
amendment following the worst shooting massacre in U.S. history, at Virginia
Tech University. At least one area law enforcement official agreed with Ward.
"I've been in favor of arming (campus security officers) for a long time," said
Marshalltown Police Chief Lon Walker. "They are law enforcement officers who
go through the acadmey just like my officers do, and I wouldn't dream of putting
one of my officers on the street without a weapon," Walker said. Iowa Senate
Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat, accused Republicans of using the
massacre at Virginia Tech as a political pawn. "I see the Senate Republicans as
playing politics with an incredible tragedy, and I think they ought to be ashamed
of themselves," said Gronstal.
The Iowa Board of Regents oversees the state's three public universities and has
left the option of arming campus security officers to the discretion of university
presidents. Currently, Iowa State and the University of Iowa hold distinctions as
the only universities in their respective conferences that do not have armed
campus security officers. An official with the Iowa Board of Regents said the
board will likely discuss the topic of campus security at its next scheduled
meeting, May 1st.