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The president of a Western Massachusetts community college is seeking to arm the police officers that patrol campus with guns.
Greenfield Community College President Robert Pura proposed the move to arm the three full-time police officers, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The school’s board of trustees must approve of the proposal.
Pura said that he’s not fond of guns, but wants to address the threat of an armed gunman on campus.
The college’s police chief said that he and two other full-time officers would go through up to 60 hours of training and psychological testing before carrying guns. Security guards and reserve police officers that also patrol campus would not be armed.
College officials expressed concern that local and state police would take minutes before being able to respond to campus in the event of an active shooter.
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