WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Wilkes University will arm five members of its public safety department so that officers are better equipped to work as first responders and work with local police.
The decision did not result from a school shooting; rather, a study of public safety conducted in 2012 helped campus officials reach its outcome, CitizensVoice.com reports.
The armed officers will not have arrest powers, but can take immediate action, rather than waiting for assistance to arrive, campus officials said.
Each of the five officers who will carry firearms has received Pennsylvania Act 120 training, which is required of municipal officers in the state. Act 120 training requires more than 700 hours of comprehensive training covering every aspect of law enforcement and firearm management.
Wilkes University also wants three more of its officers to receive Pennsylvania Act 120 training by the summer of 2015.
