BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SUPPORT ARMING OF URI POLICE
National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers Actively Supports Armed Campus Officers
Dated: Monday April 14, 2014
The decision by President David Dooley of the University of Rhode Island to press forward with the arming of sworn campus law enforcement officers on campus is one that meets with the approval of our national body, and we are especially pleased with the announced process that will be engaged upon to bring the issue of arming the University’s police force to fruition.
Our members at such institutions as Rutgers, Yale, Brown, Harvard and numerous Historically Black Universities and Colleges across the country have served their campus communities as armed officers for years with professionalism, honor and respect.
Decisions such as this have consistently been made after extensive debate and conversation amongst campus constituents, and have typically been weighted based upon known best practices and strong consideration of recognized national standards for professional law enforcement services.
It is not expected that everyone within the University of Rhode Island campus community will be pleased with this decision. This decision does, however, recognize that the campus and its administrators have a duty, responsibility and obligation to insure that the highest levels of professionalism are provided to the various constituents that they represent, provide for needed, timely responses to critical incidents, and properly equip those who are relied upon and required to be first responders. Anything less than this is inexcusable and serves as a detriment to campus safety and the secure environments that exist.
The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc, a 501.(c).(3) non-profit, is a premier national organization representing the interests and concerns of African American, Latino and other criminal justice practitioners of color serving in law enforcement, corrections, and investigative agencies throughout the United States, and the communities in which they serve.
