Police chiefs from ASU, UA and NAU agreed at the Arizona Board of Regents meeting Thursday that students with concealed guns on campus would be detrimental to campus life.
Arizona university presidents, ABOR and spectators were in attendance in the Turquoise Room at the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus to discuss recent legislation such as House Bill 1474, which would allow students over the age of 21 with a concealed weapons permit to carry a gun on campus.
“More guns doesn’t equate to a safer campus,” ASU Police Chief John Pickens said at the meeting. “We’re in an environment of learning, teaching and debate.”
ABOR would not take a stance on the issue, but wanted the police chiefs to give updates on the safety of their respective school as well as their thoughts on the legislation.
Regent Ernest Calderón asked, rhetorically, “Do we want a safe campus or safe students?”
Nearly 4 percent of Arizonans have concealed weapons permits, Pickens said to the board.
He also said if HB 1474 is approved, it would cost millions of dollars for each university police department to increase security on campus.
ASU President Michael Crow commended Pickens and the ASU police department at the meeting for keeping all University campuses safe.
“I believe we have a safe teaching and learning environment,” he said. “(Pickens) is a fantastic asset to the University.”
NAU Police Chief Gregory Fowler said the immaturity of the student body, along with drug use and alcohol consumption, increases the chances of violence.
Communication junior Lauren Topor said she wouldn’t feel safe on campus knowing a fellow student was concealing a gun in their pants.
“If someone had a gun do they know how to handle it?” she said.
Topor said she’s from Brownsville, Ore., a country-town where carrying guns is prevalent, and was raised shooting guns.
Despite growing up around guns, she said she believes in a city environment and guns on campus could lead to violent behavior.
“In a city, people who could have access could abuse it,” she said.
UA Chief of Police Anthony Daykin said his department regularly trains with guns, but officers often miss their targets even with that training.
“If everyone were regularly trained, more guns (is still) likely for more accidents,” Daykin said.
Reach the reporter at sraymund@asu.edu
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