Princeton University police to get limited access to guns

Princeton University Public Safety officers will soon have access to rifles in case of campus emergencies involving active shooters or armed suspects. School officials confirmed Tuesday that the policy

News 12 Staff

Oct 14, 2015, 6:38 AM

Updated 3,254 days ago

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Princeton University Public Safety officers will soon have access to rifles in case of campus emergencies involving active shooters or armed suspects.
School officials confirmed Tuesday that the policy change was announced Monday during a meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community. The officers currently do not carry guns while on duty.
The policy change will be implemented over the next several months, but further details on the plan have not been disclosed.
The policy change comes in the wake of several deadly shootings on college campuses around the country.
In a statement to News 12 New Jersey, school officials say, "The proposal was made by the Department of Public Safety based on Princeton's circumstances and law enforcement best practices, after careful consideration by DPS in consultation with Princeton Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office."
However, some students were uneasy with the notion of having armed officers on campus.
"I don't think more guns is ever a good idea and they can have non-lethal weapons if they need extra security that would serve the same purpose," says one current student.
Currently, the Princeton Police Department responds to incidents involving an armed suspect or active shooter, with the campus public safety department providing support as needed.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.