Brown University Arms its Campus Police Force With Semiautomatic Pistols
PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Brown University is arming its campus police force with semiautomatic pistols in a move intended to ensure student safety.
“Our first responsibility must be to do all we can to assure the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” Brown President Ruth J. Simmons wrote in an e-mail last week to the campus community.
Simmons said all officers who are armed have undergone criminal background checks and psychological testing. They have also completed 160 hours of additional training on use-of-force policies, weapons use, conflict resolution and other areas of instruction.
Brown armed its police force, which has 33 sworn members, with semiautomatic pistols on Jan. 11. Security officers and other public safety workers at the Ivy League university will not be given weapons.
Simmons announced in December 2003 that Brown would begin the process of arming its officers.
