Arm UR Security

It’s a very sad but reoccurring fact that it usually takes a tragedy to make people realize security should be stronger, whether it’s 9/11 leading to vital changes in airport security or the Virginia Tech massacre revealing lapses in that university’s security system. A crisis anything like the Virgina Tech massacre seems unlikely, but that’s partially because it’s impossible to guess the probability of such a crisis. Who’s to say a horrible tragedy couldn’t erupt at this school any day?
If such a tragedy were to occur at UR, one of the first changes to be considered soon afterward would be an increase in arms for security. Why wait for any sort of tragedy before making that consideration?
The idea of armed security officers patrolling our campus probably seems scary to many students, like we’d be a police community. But it’s not uncommon for many campuses to be actual police communities, with local (and armed) police officers taking the place of campus security guards — this is done at many SUNY schools.
Also, if firearms were made available to UR security, it would have be done with great sensitivity and discretion. If guns were provided, our security officers would have to undergo firearm training just like a regular police officer would.
If an on-campus attack were to happen, UR Security would quickly alert the Rochester Police Department to handle the situation. But in the event of such an attack, reacting only a minute earlier could result in many lives being saved — keep in mind that the second attack of the Virginia Tech massacre lasted only about 10 minutes, and the perpetrator only stopped the attack because he was being boxed in and shot at by police officers.
We all hope that the worst wouldn’t happen to UR, but that’s no excuse to not have our security force absolutely prepared if it were to happen. It might be an uncomfortable idea, but it’s better to worry about the implications of over-protection than the severe consequences of under-protection.