By Richard C. Dujardin
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- An eight-member task force reviewing the University of Rhode Island's response to the April 4 "man with a gun" report that led a partial lockdown of the campus is urging the arming of campus police, according to preliminary findings released Friday.
Equipping campus police with guns may be the most controversial proposals of the committee, which estimates would have a start up cost of $200,000 and another $298,000 in annual expenses to arm them.
The panel says that arming the officers would save time in a real emergency, and is also recommending an upgrade of the university's communications infrastructure and emergency training exercises for faculty and students.