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January 18, 2005

Letter to the Editor:

Can a gun enforce safety?

The “Disclosure of Safety Policies and Annual Crime Statistics” reported by MCC’s College Safety Department at http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/other/collegesafety/policies_crime.html reveal that in 2001, 2002, and 2003, there were no incidents involving murder or nonnegligent manslaughter, no negligent manslaughter, no forcible or non-forcible sex offenses, and only one robbery (armed or unarmed not specified).
The highest number of incidents concerned motor vehicle theft and larceny/theft. There was one arrest for possession of a weapon in 2001, and one in 2003 - type of weapon is not specified in either case. These statistics in no way support or justify the carrying of guns by weapon certified officers.
I wonder, then, why there’s a push for armed officers.
Has the climate of fear nurtured by the Bush administration since 9/11 rubbed off on some of MCC’s population? Have there been unreported incidents of terrorist activity on campus?
The most popular crimes on campus seem to be vehicle theft and theft of CDs and CD players (see report cited above). That tells me we should be examining values, rather than reacting to unsubstantiated fears.
James Cervantes,
Instructor

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