URI to Arm Campus Police

KINGSTON, RI – The University of Rhode Island is the last public university in the United States that currently does not implement the arming of their campus police, but after a yearlong discussion, and an awakening incident on campus the faculty, students, and officials have decided that it was time to do so.

In an effort to ensure the safest environment possible for everyone on campus the decision was made by URI President David M. Dooley to properly equip the first responders of our campus with the appropriate firearms to respond directly to any type of threat that this school would face.

An incident dating back to April of last year, where there were reports of an individual with a gun in the Chafee Social Science Center rekindled the debate on whether to implement a plan of action for this case. The fact was that URI police showed up to the scene less than a minute after “911” calls were made, but were unable to

“My feeling is that they need the same tools if they are to be the first responders to any type of incident. There are a number of incidents they respond to that they could face a deadly force situation,” said The Director of Public Safety for URI, Stephen Baker. “It is a tool of the last resort, but if they don't have it there are some calls that they really shouldn't be responding to.”

Had this been an active shooter, or someone intending to harm other students, URI police would have been helpless just like the rest of the students with no way to defend themselves, or others.

While many officials and other police departments like the Rhode Island State police, South Kingstown Police, and the R.I. Attorney General supported the implementation of arms for the URI campus police, there were also many students, student organizations, and faculty that were opposed to the idea.

With the recent incident in Ferguson that we all witnessed on TV this past summer, and through this fall, there seems to have been a heightened sense of tension in the air between all communities and the police. It seems as though the safety of the students and individuals on campus has taken precedence over this issue because in the spring semester of 2015 all URI campus police will be caring a firearm on their waste. Whether this will be welcomed by the community or not is a question we will have to wait and find out.

directly deal with the situation because they were unarmed, leaving there no other option but to wait for the South Kingstown Police to arrive 5 minutes later.