By Holly Bull
There are some basic things students, faculty, and staff should know about safety and PPCC. In light of the recent Virginia Tech tragedy some people may be worried about their personal safety and may be considering carrying a weapon with them for their own personal protection.
According to page 51 of the Nobody Told Me Book: “no person may have on his or her person any unauthorized firearm, ammunition, explosive device, look-alike weapon or device, or illegal weapon as defined in Colorado Revised Statutes Section 18-12-102, on College property or any facility used by the College.” So what does that mean, an unauthorized firearm?
In order to carry a gun, a person has to have a permit for it. The last time these permits were issued was 2003. Those are four-year permits that will be expiring this year. The state of Colorado is in the process of phasing this policy out, and constructing a new policy that will not permit firearms on campus period. So, those going to renew their permits will not be allowed to bring them on campus anyway. By January of 2008 it will be illegal.
According to Dr. Kinkel, President of PPCC, there are 16 full time, highly trained police officers on duty at PPCC. Kinkel says this is a large presence, and more police than some towns in Colorado have. He also feels confident with our security because we are so close to Fort Carson. In addition, there are 60 faculty and staff members that are trained in emergency procedures. With a full-time staff of 510 that’s around twelve percent. Dr. Kinkel feels there is a need for this training, and it is an ongoing effort. John C. Fisher, Chief of Police informs us that another security measure in place at PPCC is the Emergency Response Plan. These are posted on the back of every classroom door.
To help keep themselves safe, students should not hesitate to report suspicious behavior to the campus police says Kinkel. This can include observation of violent tendencies in classmates or threatening e-mails. Fisher says “be aware, don’t ignore the signs.” These are important things to keep in mind when dealing with safety.
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