Associated Press
09-06-07
University officials debate arming campus police
DES MOINES (AP) --- The debate on whether to arm campus police with guns is
heating up as presidents of Iowa's three public universities prepare to make their
final recommendation to the Board of Regents next week.
Iowa State University held a forum Wednesday afternoon to discuss the issue,
which has garnered much attention in Iowa since the Virginia Tech killings in
April.
"The fact is, arming police is the norm around the country and the world," said
Jerry Stewart, director of the ISU Department of Public Safety. "It's an
industry standard."
The issue has also been extensively debated at the University of Iowa, where a
faculty group voted Tuesday to support a recommendation to arm campus police.
A faculty group at the University of Northern Iowa voted Friday against the
recommendation, which came from the public safety directors and vice
presidents at Iowa's public universities.
The schools' presidents will make their recommendations to the Board of
Regents on Monday. The board, which will make the final decision, will address
the issue at its meeting Sept. 18-19 in Council Bluffs.
The University of Iowa's Faculty Council discussed campus security Tuesday
night before voting 12-3 to support arming police.
"I was skeptical at first, but several things have led me to change my mind," said
Michael O'Hara, a psychology professor. "Our campus police are police officers
just like any other. Being armed is a big part of that."
Two faculty members spoke out against the measure, primarily citing possibilities
of mistakes, the increased likelihood of violence and more specifically the 1996
death of Eric Shaw. The artist was accidentally shot and killed by an Iowa City
police officer while working in his downtown studio.
Jeffrey Cox, a council member and history professor, said there is no reason to
reverse the disarmament that regents enacted after a shooting at Kent State in
1970.
"It's been a 100 percent success," he said. "There is no demand from faculty,
none from staff and none from students. The driving force behind this is (the
police). Instead of being embarrassed by this Iowa experiment, we should be
proud of this."
At the Iowa State forum, Stewart said that having campus police trained and
certified to carry guns would help officers protect students. He said ISU police
deserve the same level of protection as officers in other communities.
Warren Madden, ISU vice president of business and finance, said an armed
police force could react more quickly to serious threats than other law
enforcement agencies.
"Sometimes time is a critical element in responding to events," Madden said.
Herman Quirmbach, ISU associate professor of economics and a
Democratic state senator from Ames, said arming campus police is not the
answer to violence on campus. Rather, Quirmbach said, the university should
identify students who may have violent tendencies and get them help.
ISU's Faculty Senate will vote on a recommendation next week.