Open Forum MeetingsFebruary 2009

April 2007 – Gunman kills 32 at Virginia Tech University

February 2008 – 5 students killed at Northern Illinois University

Campus Security Commission

April 2007 – Governor Carcieri orders review of campus safety/security procedures

May 2007 – Security officials from RI’s 11 public and private institutions begin meeting to share information and ideas

Summer/Fall 2007 – Several RI institutions upgrade existing emergency alert and notification systems

Campus Security Commission

RI General Assembly introduces legislation that would mandate the arming of campus police at URI, RIC and CCRI

RIBGHE testifies against legislation, asks for time to study the issue

Legislation does not pass out of committee

Campus Security Commission

Campus Security Commission formed and has been meeting since August

Members from URI, RIC, CCRI, State Police, Attorney General’s Office

Recommendation to RIBGHE later this Spring

Campus Security Commission

What circumstances, if any, have changed since the RIBGHE last studied this issue in 2000?

Are any changes substantive enough to recommend that the RIBGHE consider arming campus police at URI, RIC and/or CCRI?

Campus Security Commission

Scope and type of training needed – initial and ongoing

Training costs Cost for purchase & proper storage of

equipment Insurance, legal & human resources issues Certification or accreditation Are non-lethal weapons an option? Faculty, staff & student rights and/or

privacy issues

Campus Security Commission

Feb. 4th - Rhode Island College

Feb. 12th – CCRI/Warwick (interactive teleconference w/other

campuses)

Feb. 17th – URI/Providence

Feb. 25th – URI/Kingston

Campus Security Commission

Brown University has the only armed security force among RI colleges and universities

Brown armed in January 2006; study began in 2002

Campus Security Commission

2000 – Last RIBGHE study re: arming campus police

2002 – URI conducts study re: arming campus police

“Arming University police officers is not prudent at this time; future events may warrant such action.”

Campus Security Commission

Ten-year study 1994-2004

62 violent crimes per 100,000 college students

462 violent crimes per 100,000 Americans overall

Clery Act data indicates that violent crime on campuses has not increased since 2004

Campus Security Commission

Average of 4 student homicides/year 2000-2005

Doubled to 8 homicides in 2006

Rose to 12 in 2007 (not counting 32 killed at VA Tech)

Through 11/08, at least 13 students were killed on their campuses

Campus Security Commission

2004-2005

86% of 4-yr. public institutions had armed campus police officers

91% of institutions with enrollments of 15,000 or more had armed campus police officers

Campus Security Commission

Utah has passed legislation that allows any citizen w/a concealed weapon permit to carry their weapon on campus

Seventeen (17) other states now considering similar legislation (none in New England)

American Association of Colleges & Universities

Campus Security Commission

Between 2001-2005, the 184 colleges in New England made 278 arrests on campus for illegal possession of weapons

Less than 25% of the schools have armed campus police

Office of Postsecondary Education, 2007

Campus Security Commission

CRIME CATEGORY REPORTED 2005

REPORTED 2006

REPORTED 2007

REPORTED

2008

FORCIBLE SEX OFFENCES 4 5 4 5

ROBBERY 0 0 1 2

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 1 2 2 0

SIMPLE ASSAULT 15 23 15 19

BURGLARY 23 36 22 30

THEFT FROM BUILDING 97 44 61 53

THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE 27 45 46 44

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT 3 8 7 8

VANDALISM 103 143 116 135

WEAPONS VIOLATION 2 6 3 1

NARCOTICS VIOLATION 62 31 17 6

LIQUOR LAW VIOLATION 16 4 1 4

TRESPASSING 11 5 1 4

Campus Security Commission

Individuals wishing to speak must sign up and indicate whether they are “pro” or “con” on the question or arming campus police

We intend to alternate between “pro” and “con” speakers to allow both sides to be heard

Campus Security Commission

Speakers limited to 5 minutes in order to give everyone who wishes to speak time to be heard

Members of the Commission are here to receive input. They will not dialogue or engage in Q&A with speakers

Campus Security Commission

The Commission will not make a decision on this matter today.  They will make a recommendation to the Board of Governors later this spring

Additional comments can be directed to the Board of Governors website at www.ribghe.org

Campus Security Commission