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10/3/2024
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Rep. O’Brien asks when will RIC take campus security seriously
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STATE HOUSE – Rep. William W. O’Brien is asking when the administration of Rhode Island College (RIC) will take campus security seriously by arming its campus police officers. He has introduced legislation mandating the arming of public college police officers for the past several legislative sessions.
“In this day and age, we have to be realistic on how to best protect students, staff and visitors at our state’s public colleges. Flashlights and pepper spray will accomplish nothing if someone with a gun shows up on campus to inflict maximum harm. I know this fact, and the idea of firearms in general, is troubling to many, but the only way to ensure the safety of those on campus is to have our highly trained campus police officers, with many being retired members of law enforcement, equipped with the tools necessary to end an active shooter situation as quickly as possible. The red flags are unfortunately all over our society and I implore the administration of RIC, and CCRI, to wake up and finally take campus security seriously by arming campus police officers before a horrific tragedy may ensue,” said Representative O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence).
Currently, the University of Rhode Island is the only public institute of higher education that has armed its campus police officers. URI instituted this policy in 2015. Representative O’Brien notes that Brown University in Providence, a private institution, also has campus police officers that carry firearms.
Representative O’Brien also emphasizes that Rosemary Costigan, the interim president of CCRI, and Dr. Jack R. Warner, the president of RIC, already possess the authority to arm their campus police officers but refuse to do so.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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