Arming campus police evokes mixed opinions
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: News
Gail Faris, the assistant director of the URI Women's Center, said "with an armed police department in such close proximity, campuses have been able to use these as a viable resource rather than arming campus police."
"The URI Police Department is very professional," Narragansett Police Chief Joseph Little said. "What URI is asking the URI Police Department to do is counter-intuitive to their situation, to go into the situation and resolve the situation."
Little, who has been in the police force for 28 years and lives in South Kingston with his family, believes the campus police should be armed.
"I wouldn't expect the Kingstown Fire Department to give up their ladders because it's cheaper," Little said.
"I have full confidence in the URI Police Department to verbally-disarm an armed person, or call the South Kingston Police Department for backup if needed," freshman Zeno Trocchi said.
David Nelson, also freshman at URI, said, "It's something to be proud of, to be one of the few campuses left with our police department to be unarmed."
Lynne Derbyshire, a URI faculty member for the past 22 years and a resident of Narragansett, said she does not support providing URI police officers with proper training and guns.
"By arming our police officers, our students of color are being put at more danger than white students," Derbyshire said.
Rhode Island College Police Lt. Charles Wilson was not pleased with many of the statements. "I can stand here and tell you without any degree of uncertainty that those opposed have no factual or informative evidence to support their view," Wilson said. "It is a professional tool that is afforded to every single law enforcement officer. If you determine that you do not require the URI police department to provide the highest level of service, than live with the consequences of your actions. This is not a spectator sport."
During the forum, URI Director of Planning Services Abu Bakr, URI professor of sociology Leo Carroll and URI Police Maj. Stephen Baker served on the panel.
"The URI Police Department is very professional," Narragansett Police Chief Joseph Little said. "What URI is asking the URI Police Department to do is counter-intuitive to their situation, to go into the situation and resolve the situation."
Little, who has been in the police force for 28 years and lives in South Kingston with his family, believes the campus police should be armed.
"I wouldn't expect the Kingstown Fire Department to give up their ladders because it's cheaper," Little said.
"I have full confidence in the URI Police Department to verbally-disarm an armed person, or call the South Kingston Police Department for backup if needed," freshman Zeno Trocchi said.
David Nelson, also freshman at URI, said, "It's something to be proud of, to be one of the few campuses left with our police department to be unarmed."
Lynne Derbyshire, a URI faculty member for the past 22 years and a resident of Narragansett, said she does not support providing URI police officers with proper training and guns.
"By arming our police officers, our students of color are being put at more danger than white students," Derbyshire said.
Rhode Island College Police Lt. Charles Wilson was not pleased with many of the statements. "I can stand here and tell you without any degree of uncertainty that those opposed have no factual or informative evidence to support their view," Wilson said. "It is a professional tool that is afforded to every single law enforcement officer. If you determine that you do not require the URI police department to provide the highest level of service, than live with the consequences of your actions. This is not a spectator sport."
During the forum, URI Director of Planning Services Abu Bakr, URI professor of sociology Leo Carroll and URI Police Maj. Stephen Baker served on the panel.
