WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University’s Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan says police officers on the campus will most likely be armed by late spring or early summer.
In September 2007, Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz based the decision to arm officers after receiving recommendations from a committee of students, faculty and staff that assembled over the summer break.
In response to a student protest, Reinharz created a firearms advisory committee that will be responsible for writing policies involving the arming of campus police. Representatives of the faculty, students and staff attended a meeting Jan. 31 where the committee drafted a wide range of policies concerning the arming of campus safety officers.
Officers will not be armed until there is a set policy in place; however, campus officers are being trained in the use of firearms.
The next meeting of the firearms committee will take place Mar. 4. During the meeting, presentations will be made by experts about similar policies at other schools.