Letter to the Editor: Public safety officers should not be armed

Millicent Taylor-Durand

What will OSU use to replace OSP?

While I personally am happy that OSP chose to leave voluntarily, the question still remains unanswered. Following past incidents at Portland State University, where an unarmed man was shot by campus police, there has been a strong backlash against armed campus police officers.

So, in light of incidents like this, and incidents of police shootings around the country, I think it is safe to suggest that any public safety officer should not be armed or permitted to carry any firearms at all while on regular patrol around campus. 

I think how the University proceeds in this situation will be a highly contentious issue in the next year. I think it is important, that we, the Students of Oregon State University, voice an opposition to armed private security on campus, lest somebody gets seriously hurt or killed by people who are drunk with power.

Millicent Taylor-Durand

Fourth-year sociology student

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