Rowan o. 01r1cers nope 10 carry 11rearrr1~

by Linsey Heiser assistant news editor

Licensed police officers at Rowan University in New Jersey have asked the president of the school for permission to carry firearms.

The officers claim that without the firearms, they cannot respond to distress calls involving a weapon, and they have to call the Glassboro Police Department for assistance.

If this request for firearms is approved, only the licensed officers would carry weapons on campus. The other full and part-time security officers would be unarmed.

Although some may think officers carrying firearms may lower the crime rate on campus, do not expect to see it happen at Cabrini anytime soon.

Cabrini's public safety officers say that they are strongly opposed to carrying firearms.

"I certainly do not care to carry a firearm. It's not something we would consider, even after a crime such as a murder," Public Safety Sergeant Diana Pohl said.

According to Tom Kelly, public safety officer, Cabrini would have to be viewed in harm's way for firearms to be considered "We just don't have the crime to warrant firearms," Kelly said.

According to Pohl and Kelly, bigger schools like Penn State University, West Chester University, Millersville University and the University of Pennsylvania all have two tiers of security.

One tier is made up of licensed officers, who assist police officers in areas surrounding the campus. These officers carry weapons. The other tier of officers are strictly on campus and do not carry firearms.

"Cabrini is too small of a school to have two tiers of police officers," Pohl said.

Even if the Department of Public Safety felt that its members needed to carry firearms, the deci- sion would not be up to them. The decision-making would start with the president of the college. The officers do not think they would be granted permission.

Some students have the same opinions that public safety has.

"I do not feel that our campus is dangerous to students," junior Joanne Morrone said. "However, I do feel that in case of an emergency, public safety should have training in weapons.

"If there is an incident in which Radnor police can't get here, who is going to deal with the situation?" added Morrone. Junior Kim Fritsch agrees with Morrone.

"I don't think that public safety officers should carry firearms. Cabrini really doesn't have the problems, like drug busts, that other larger schools have.

"If we had a bigger campus with more crime, then maybe the firearms would be useful," Fritsch said.

Themost importantthing, according to Pohl, is for public safety to remain approachable.

"By carrying firearms, we would look threatening to students," she said. "We want to look approachable so students know they can come to us for help."