Debate Continues on Arming Campus Police

City College Police Officer Erica McGlaston patrols the campus as a part of her daily routine to make herself present to City College students, and look for any suspicious activity. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Natasha Dangond/ The Guardsman)
City College Police Officer Erica McGlaston patrols the campus as a part of her daily routine to make herself present to City College students, and look for any suspicious activity. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Natasha Dangond/ The Guardsman)
City College Police Officer Erica McGlaston patrols the campus as a part of her daily routine to make herself present to City College students, and look for any suspicious activity. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Natasha Dangond/ The Guardsman)
City College Police Officer Erica McGlaston patrols the campus as a part of her daily routine to make herself present to City College students, and look for any suspicious activity. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Natasha Dangond/The Guardsman)

By Audrey Garces/Staff Writer

An attempted kidnapping left campus police feeling unequipped on Oct. 13 at City College’s Ocean campus, due to having one of the stricter gun policies in comparison to other California community colleges.

Three days prior to the incident, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 707 to close loopholes in the Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1955.

The new law, written by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-District 3), expands the scope of the existing law by adding new restrictions to gun carrying laws on California college campuses.

People who possess concealed carry weapons permits are now banned from carrying handguns onto school grounds, or ammunition unless locked in a vehicle.

Exemptions include certain appointed peace officers and certain retired reserve peace officers who may carry weapons if licensed and allowed by their agency.

City College already has a “no guns” policy in place, concealed or not, in effect for students as well as campus police officers.

“As the individual responsible for campus safety, I want to make sure we are prepared to respond without delay to any type of emergency situation that would arise, and that we would have the tools do our job safely,” City College Chief of Police André Barnes said.

In a country that has experienced 52 school shootings in 2015 alone, according to TIME Magazine, California lawmakers, police, students and faculty are in debate about who the “right” people to carry firearms on campuses are, or if guns should be allowed on campuses at all.

CCSF Policy

A 17-year-old City College student burst through the doors of the Rosenberg Library on Oct. 13, reportedly shouting, “They’ve got a gun.” His two assailants caught and began to beat him, but two witnesses claimed one of the men was carrying a handgun.

Students and staff at the library took cover while campus police and the Ingleside Police Department responded.

“We were there in one minute, Ingleside took eight, and by the time both had arrived the suspects had fled,” college police public information Officer Tiffany Green said.

Due to school district policy, City College police officers have never been armed since the College first acquired campus police in 2001.

Although trained annually to use firearms and tasers, campus police are only permitted to carry batons and pepper spray.

Campus police protocol in the event of a campus shooting is to relocate to a safe area and contact the Ingleside Police Department.

This policy subjected campus police to “not really be able to address” the attempted kidnapping, Officer
Green said.

“We do feel like students’ safety and our safety is compromised,” Green said. “Not only can we respond a lot quicker than SFPD, but we are also familiar with the campus and other campuses throughout the district.”


Let’s commit to making today’s victory the beginning of our shared mission of holding our elected officials responsible for identifying and passing sound policies that will reduce gun violence in our nation. — Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus


The issue was sparked 14 years ago when the City College security agency transitioned into a police department. The campus police have adamantly insisted that arming school officers would allow for a safer environment for police and students alike, however others feel cautious of arming police in fear of fighting fire with fire or potential police brutality.

Former City College Police Chief Carl Koehler resigned in 2007, mainly due to disagreement with the college’s policy for unarmed campus police.

“I know a lot of incidents where we certainly faced challenges as far as officer safety,” Barnes said. “The fact that we don’t carry firearms puts our campus community in a position that we could not be able to conduct full range of our duties without being armed.”

SB 707

For other California colleges and universities without district or school gun policies, the Gun-Free School Zone law of 1955 banned individuals from openly carrying a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, but allowed those with concealed carry weapons permits to carry a concealed firearm, and ammunition with written consent from administration.

County sheriffs are responsible for giving out concealed handgun permits to applicants who can prove their in immediate danger, good cause and need to carry a weapon.

The new law now enforces, “No person shall carry ammunition or reloaded ammunition onto school grounds, except sworn law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their duties.”        

“I think this law will reduce the number of people who are carrying guns on campuses. It does not eliminate guns altogether, but it makes a safer environment,” Emma White, bill supporter and vice president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s San Francisco chapter, said.     

Exemptions are made for retired reserve police officers, or anyone school officials grant permission to carry a concealed firearm.       

GRAPHThe ban of concealed arms on campus is already a part of City College’s policy, but their policy is even stricter than the bill by additionally prohibiting campus police from carrying arms.

Although Officer Green “does not disagree” with this law or the equivalent district policy rules held by City College, she doubts the compliance of criminals to follow laws in general.

“Most people who are criminals break rules, so to have policy that says ‘don’t bring guns to school’ doesn’t really help when it comes to people who are criminals or feel they have the right to carry a firearm,” Green said.

Some organizations have spoken in outright opposition to the bill. For instance, the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legal Action categorized SB 707 as a “misguided anti-gun bill,” and urged voters to contact their senator to vote against the bill.

In Sacramento, SB 707 was heavily supported and pushed through the Senate by gun violence prevention groups such as California Chapters of the Brady Campaign, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and Women Against Gun Violence, among others.

“Let’s commit to making today’s victory the beginning of our shared mission of holding our elected officials responsible for identifying and passing sound policies that will reduce gun violence in our nation,” an official statement from the Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus stated after Gov. Brown signed the bill.


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Send an email to: Audrey Garces