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Main Page Armed Cops Eyed For Framingham State College
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Posted by: fscpd907

Armed cops eyed for Framingham State College

By John Hilliard/Daily News staff

FRAMINGHAM - Officials could decide by the end of spring whether cops at Framingham State College should carry guns - a move backed by a school panel and the college president.

The school's police officers should carry guns to protect themselves and the campus community, according to a report from the FSC Facilities Planning Committee.

FSC President Timothy Flanagan said the report's goal is to promote public safety.

"I agree with the report and I agree with the rationale of the report," said Flanagan, who acknowledged not everyone on campus will favor guns.

Flanagan said public forums will be held on campus this spring to gauge support. He said there is also an ongoing discussion on the school's internal Web site on a FSC panel's report backing armed campus police.

"We'll have some sense of what campus opinion is on it," said Flanagan. He said the college's Board of Trustees could make a decision by the end of the spring semester.

The committee's report, written by FSC sociology professor Marian A.O. Cohen, supports arming campus police if new standards are used for the training and screening of FSC's officers.

It calls for campus police to undergo the same training, licensing and firearm certification taken by Framingham Police officers. The report also backs a firearms review board to investigate the display or use of guns by campus police.

Before FSC cops can carry a gun, they should also undergo new rounds of criminal background checks and psychological screening, according to the report.

The report quotes FSC Police Chief Brad Medeiros as estimating the cost of weapons and training at $25,000.

The report includes several arguments against arming police, including the relative safety of college campuses and fears guns will spark an on-campus "arms race" between cops and offenders. It also notes the presence of local police - FSC is near the state police barracks and Framingham town police.

Of the nine state colleges, Westfield, Salem, Bridgewater and Fitchburg arm their campus police. Framingham State, along with Worcester State,

MassMaritime, MassArt and the College of Liberal Arts, do not allow campus police to carry guns on duty.

The Board of Higher Education has no statewide policy on whether campus police should be armed, and leaves that decision to each college administration.

Many state colleges rely on officers who are trained and under the authority of the Massachusetts State Police to staff their departments. But the law grants state colleges the ability to appoint their own officers who have the same authority as municipal police.

In past interviews, police officials at Salem, Westfield and Bridgewater state colleges all supported arming campus police. Salem and Westfield gave guns to their cops in the last few years and Bridgewater police have carried guns for about 40 years, according to school officials.

(John Hilliard can be reached at 508-626-4449 or jhilliar@cnc.com.)

Posted by: RCPD33

Good luck guys and gals at FSCPD!

Posted by: Delta784

Arming campus police is quickly becoming, as John Schibley likes to say, "The greatest no-brainer in the history of earth".

Posted by: mpd61

Quote:

Originally Posted by fscpd907

Armed cops eyed for Framingham State College

The Board of Higher Education has no statewide policy on whether campus police should be armed, and leaves that decision to each college administration.

Many state colleges rely on officers who are trained and under the authority of the Massachusetts State Police to staff their departments. But the law grants state colleges the ability to appoint their own officers who have the same authority as municipal police.

(John Hilliard can be reached at 508-626-4449 or jhilliar@cnc.com.)

State and Community Colleges REVOLT!!! Get rid of SSPO!!! dump AFSCME!!!

GO MCLEA!!!!!!!

Posted by: Kilvinsky

I gotta ask a couple of questions:

1) How old is this article since they speak of 'spring' so much?
2) Wasn't Flanagan dead set AGAINST arming the cops just a few short months ago?

I'd love to know what changed his mind. If it happens, AWESOME! Run with it. I believe!

And RCPD33, man you should post more. If anyone has something important to say it's you, Roger, and you don't. Damn, a true waste of fine articulation.

How the hell are you?

Posted by: GodblessThearmy

Great news! good luck =)

Posted by: fscpd907

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilvinsky

I gotta ask a couple of questions:

1) How old is this article since they speak of 'spring' so much?
2) Wasn't Flanagan dead set AGAINST arming the cops just a few short months ago?

I'd love to know what changed his mind. If it happens, AWESOME! Run with it. I believe!

And RCPD33, man you should post more. If anyone has something important to say it's you, Roger, and you don't. Damn, a true waste of fine articulation.

How the hell are you?

The article was in today's paper.

Posted by: Gil

Probably had something to do with the FSCPD pinching that guy last week. Sometimes knee jerk reactions are a good thing...

The Untouchables 1987
"You carry a badge?, Yes, Carry a gun"

Posted by: rg1283

An Arms Race. Ut-Oh. ROTFL. It sounds so funny. An Arms Race? That argument is so silly.

Seriously though, $25,000 seems enough to arm a campus PD with some Sig P-226s, retention holster, extra magazines and training and ammunition.

Posted by: Macop

Police Officers with guns, what a novel idea.

Posted by: fscpd907

Faculty union votes against arming FSC police

By John Hilliard/Daily News staff

Tue Dec 04, 2007, 01:11 AM EST

FRAMINGHAM - Faculty at Framingham State College voted yesterday against arming the campus police, but the union's leader conceded the move probably will not prevent officers from eventually carrying guns.
"I'm sure we'll see some arming taking place," said John Ambacher, a government professor and president of the college's faculty union.

The faculty union - officially the Framingham State College Professional Association - voted against a proposal to arm the roughly 14 campus officers. Framingham State police currently do not carry weapons.

The proposal has support of Framingham town police and college President Timothy Flanagan. In October, a college committee's report recommended weapons if steps are taken to screen, train and oversee officers with the help of the Framingham Police.

FSC officials have said a series of public forums will be held in the spring to gauge student responses. The college Board of Trustees could make a decision by the end of the academic year.

Yesterday's vote was the union's second opposing armed campus police. Last spring, faculty voted unanimously against allowing college officers to carry guns, he said.

Ambacher said he did not expect the union's stance will change minds, but faculty members wanted their opinions known.

Ambacher, who has taught at Framingham State for 40 years, said he was against the proposal because armed college police could change the culture on campus. "I personally don't see the need for it," he said.

Framingham Police would support an armed campus force if officers undergo strict certification and training steps, said Sgt. Richard Thompson, the department's liaison to the college.

"We're supportive of the idea," said Thompson.

There already is a close working relationship between the two departments, he said. Recently, campus police stopped a vehicle sought by Framingham, he said, and the school's officers have also helped identify students who cross paths with town police.

Sociology professor Marian A. O. Cohen wrote the college report recommending police carry guns, along with new training and screening rules, plus coordination with the town department.

Cohen, a gun opponent, said officers' safety in the line of duty played a part in her recommendation, along with other evidence. Before conducting her research, she said she expected to recommend against an armed department.

"I'm not thrilled with my recommendation. I'm still opposed to guns," said Cohen, who noted colleges that made similar changes did not regret arming police.

"There isn't one campus that said, 'We're sorry we did that,' " said Cohen.
Flanagan could not be reached for comment.

Brad Petrishen, editor of The Gatepost student newspaper, said a recent student survey of 400 people on campus found students were closely split on arming police - 218 in favor and 182 opposed.

The report quotes college Police Chief Brad Medeiros as estimating the cost of weapons and training at a total of $25,000 for the department.

Of the nine state colleges, Westfield, Salem, Bridgewater and Fitchburg arm their campus police. Framingham State, along with Worcester State, MassMaritime, MassArt and the College of Liberal Arts, do not allow campus police to carry guns.

The Board of Higher Education has no statewide policy on whether campus police should be armed, leaving that decision to each college administration.
Many colleges in Massachusetts rely on officers who are trained and under the authority of the Massachusetts State Police to staff their departments. But the law grants any college the ability to appoint their own officers who have the same authority as municipal police.

(John Hilliard can be reached at 508-626-4449 or jhilliar@cnc.com.)

Posted by: sgt128-13

And after they become armed, the facutly and college community as a whole will quickly realize that arming the department is the biggest non-issue in the world. They make all the fuss, the cops get their guns, and life goes on as usual.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by fscpd907

Sociology professor Marian A. O. Cohen wrote the college report recommending police carry guns, along with new training and screening rules, plus coordination with the town department.

Cohen, a gun opponent, said officers' safety in the line of duty played a part in her recommendation, along with other evidence. Before conducting her research, she said she expected to recommend against an armed department.

"I'm not thrilled with my recommendation. I'm still opposed to guns," said Cohen, who noted colleges that made similar changes did not regret arming police.

"There isn't one campus that said, 'We're sorry we did that,' " said Cohen.

Wow.....a liberal who recognizes facts and doesn't attempt a spin-job.

Good for Professor Cohen!!

Posted by: sgt128-13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

Wow.....a liberal who recognizes facts and doesn't attempt a spin-job.

Good for Professor Cohen!!

Yeah, our college president was the same way... he didn't like the idea of arming us, but couldn't dispute the facts and consequences of not arming us.

Posted by: JMB1977

whether state, city, town campus...sorn officers should be allowed to carry firearms. Kuddo's to Worcester State finally getting there!

Posted by: Mass

Best of luck to all!

Posted by: JMB1977

God speed to FSC, QCC and Holy Cross (ya right) getting armed!

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