December 7, 2007

Broome Community College
Considers Arming Campus Peace Officers

-Move Is Latest In Comprehensive Safety Overhaul-

(TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY) Broome Community College President Dr. Laurence Spraggs today announced that the College is considering arming its campus Peace Officers.

“It’s important to acknowledge the reality that times have changed on college campuses across the country,” said Dr. Spraggs. “College Campuses are open settings that are designed to provide easy access for students, faculty and staff. As we continue to see tragedies on high school and college campuses across the nation we must continue to identify and evaluate strategies to improve and enhance the levels of security and safety that we provide. I feel it’s better to have this discussion now than after a tragedy has occurred on our campus.”

In 2003, the State University of New York (SUNY) prompted New York State to pass legislation for Community Colleges to establish and arm Peace Officers. BCC was one of the first ten Community Colleges to establish Peace Officers on campus. Five of those ten Community College Presidents immediately chose to arm the Peace Officers, whereas BCC did not.

“We have a responsibility to do as much as possible to protect students, faculty and staff,” continued Dr. Spraggs. “We’ve done a lot of research, engaged in discussions with our faculty and staff, reached out to students and examined what other community colleges are doing with regards to arming their officers. Arming Peace Officers is a decision that should only be made after a great deal of thought, analysis and obtaining support from the students and campus community. With 6,000 students and 600 employees, I expect there may be some reservation, but there is a great deal of support and I believe it is important to explore this option.”

The nearest Community College that has armed Peace Officers is Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. Monroe Community College in Rochester has firearms in lockers on campus and Tompkins-Cortland Community College is currently in the process of deciding whether to have Peace Officers and will also address arming them.

The current Department of Campus Safety and Security consists of 14 individuals, which include a Director, Assistant Director, eight Peace Officers (2FT/6PT), three Safety Officers (1FT/2PT) and one clerical staff. The Peace Officers currently carry flashlights, handcuffs, radios, a baton and pepper spray. Of the 14 individuals in the Campus Safety and Security Department, only the Director, Assistant Director and 8 Peace Officers would be eligible to carry firearms. Of those 10 individuals, 7 are carrying or carried firearms as police officers for other jurisdictions.

New York State requires all County Security Officers to have 40 hours of training. Broome County requires their Security Officers to have 80 hours of training, more than twice what the state requires. New York State requires Community College Peace Officers to undergo 327 hours of training.

“By creating a Campus Safety and Security Department that is staffed with Peace Officers we have increased the level of training for our personnel, which has increased the level of safety across campus,” continued Spraggs. “The focus of our Officers has also changed. In addition to law enforcement, the Peace Officers provide a range of student services such as awareness training, conflict resolution and protection seminars. Arming the Peace Offices would be the final component of our plan to provide a comprehensive safety and security operation.”

In July 2007 BCC’s Student Assembly passed a resolution in support of arming Peace Officers. Broome County Sheriff David Harder and City of Binghamton Police Captain Alex Minor have also written letters in support of arming BCC’s Peace Officers.