Frequently Asked Questions: Arming

Why has Bucknell decided to arm public safety officers now?
The subject of arming Bucknell’s public safety officers has been raised over the years, most recently during an intensive review in 2004, and has been a constant discussion point for colleges and universities nationwide for many years. The increase of violence on college and school campuses worldwide in recent years, but especially the tragic event that occurred at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, obligated the Board of Trustees to look carefully again at the need to arm public safety officers at Bucknell. After some reluctance and considerable deliberation, the Board has taken the step that it has concluded ensures it is doing everything it can to protect the safety and security of the campus community. See President Mitchell’s statement on the Board’s decision.

What kind of research did you do?
The Board of Trustees, its Risk Management Committee, and an ad hoc task force appointed by President Mitchell reviewed extensive information from both internal and external sources. These materials included the following:

• A report requested from the Department of Public Safety on the issues associated with arming our public safety officers (October 2007).
• The Bucknell Student Government’s "Student Arming Advisory Group Preliminary Report" (November 2007).
• The reports on the campus public fora regarding the arming issue as compiled by task force chair Dave Myers.
• The August 2007 Virginia Tech Review Panel "Report on the Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech."
• The report by an outside consultant who evaluated Bucknell’s Department of Public Safety and whether to arm our public safety officers.

All these materials are available via the Department of Public Safety website.

Did you ask the campus community for its views?
Yes. The President and Board recognize that this issue is a highly sensitive one. The President charged the ad hoc task force with engaging students, faculty, and staff via requests for information and campus fora by sharing related documents. One all-student forum was held, two campus-wide fora were held, related documents were made available to the campus, and feedback was broadly solicited. In addition, the President provided updates to the campus of the Board’s deliberations following each Board meeting since it began re-evaluating this issue after the April 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech.

Do other universities have armed public safety officers?
Yes. In fact, many colleges and universities do have armed public safety officers. Specifically for Bucknell, the Board noted that in November 2006, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education mandated that all schools within that public higher education system must maintain an armed security force. This mandate includes institutions in rural areas. Bucknell is also at this time only one of two schools (the other being Holy Cross) in the Patriot League, Bucknell’s athletics conference, without armed campus public safety officers.

Is arming its public safety officers all that Bucknell is doing for emergency preparedness?
No. In fact, Bucknell has a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan. This plan encompasses preparedness for numerous types of emergencies. Most recently, Bucknell has added to this emergency preparedness plan the following: a text emergency alert system (students can sign up in myBucknell; a new campus-wide public announcement system; security improvements to exterior doors on residence halls now underway; and an electronic card-access system that will prevent access to residence halls for everyone except resident students and authorized personnel. See the list of comprehensive security measures.

The University also offers a free training program for students, faculty, and staff to obtain the skills necessary in a selected set of emergency-response areas should they wish to volunteer to be part of a supplementary support effort for the University’s comprehensive response in an emergency. Students, faculty, and staff can sign up for the "Got Skills" program in myBucknell.

Is every public safety officer properly screened to make sure each is a good candidate for Bucknell?
Yes. Prior to being hired, each officer is screened for professional, physical, and mental preparedness. All public safety officers must annually complete a battery of tests to ensure that they maintain total fitness for duty. Additionally, officers are given random screening throughout the year, and also receive additional training in cultural diversity and customer service.

Do public safety officers have the proper training to be armed?
Yes. All officers are trained first at the police academy and then maintain their training each year by attending three individual, mandatory range qualifications that certify them to carry a weapon. With its decision, the Board has directed that the training and screening of public safety officers should continue this practice and go beyond the minimum requirements for police officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

When will the public safety officers actually become armed?
August 2008. The Board of Trustees has charged the administration with completing all necessary preparations in the meantime. As result, the Department of Public Safety will begin all necessary preparations and training over the next few months and, pending satisfaction of the President’s and the Board’s expectations, implement the arming of officers no later than August 1, 2008.

Will public safety officers be armed all the time?
The specifics of this matter will be decided by the Board in its upcoming deliberations as the University prepares to arm its officers effective August 2008. There are still critical steps that have to be taken in this process. These include making decisions about who among the public safety officers will be armed and under what circumstances and with what equipment. The Board also directed that the University establish clear protocols for the use of lethal force in the truly exceptional cases in which that could be required. These decisions will be shaped by campus opinion and outside expertise.

Will arming public safety officers change the services they currently provide?
No. The arming of public safety officers will expand the range of services currently provided to include the ability to respond to any incidents that occur in and around Bucknell’s campus.

Do you work with local police?
Yes. Bucknell is proud to work very closely with the police departments of our two neighboring communities, Lewisburg and East Buffalo Township. We also work closely with Pennsylvania State Police. We also recognize that the priority of those officers is the residential communities they serve rather than Bucknell. By virtue of their campus responsibilities, Bucknell’s public safety officers also know Bucknell’s students, personnel, and buildings much better than other law enforcement officers, which can be vital in an emergency of any kind.

Where can I get additional information and documents regarding Arming Public Safety?
You can obtain additional information relating to the arming of Bucknell’s public safety officers at the Department of Public Safety website or by contacting the Office of Communications.