el Don /SANTA ANA COLLEGE • MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015/eldonnews.org
NEWS
el Don /SANTA ANA COLLEGE •MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015/eldonnews.org
GUNNING FOR SAFETY
4
ARMED / About 25 years after disbanding armed campus police, trustees approved firearm use for at least six officers in response to campus shootings. / WALLY SKALIJ / TNS
BY JOANNA MEZA / el Don
District officials are moving forward with a plan to arm security officers throughout the Rancho Santiago Community
College District, reversing a 25-year policy that prevented
the employment of armed officers on campus.
The job descriptions and titles for officers were approved
at the board of trustees meeting last month. The new policy
will initially cost about $500,000, officials said.
The Public Safety Task Force recommended arming officers after reviewing district procedures and policies
on confronting active shooters
on campus.
Former SAPD Chief Paul Walters introduced the notion of arming specific
security personnel to the board a year
ago, Claudia Alvarez, board of trustees
vice president, said.
There has not been an additional
Safety and Security Task Force Committee meeting since October, Associated Student Government President
Raquel Manriquez said.
Last year the PSTF, organized by
District Chancellor Raul Rodriguez,
estimated the cost of implementing
armed officers at $1 million.
But estimates in early March revealed
that the number is about $432,137,
which includes salary increases for the
already existing chief and two lieutenants — as well as three new sergeant
positions. “This is only the initial cost,”
Rodriguez said.
Cuts in other district services would
help meet the costs of the new positions, as well as budget and salary cuts
in other areas, Rodriguez said.
“Personnel is always changing. As of
now, we don’t have all of the money
but it will take time,” Rodriguez said.
With a total of six positions, the
officers will be required to complete
state-mandated courses required
to carry firearms, according to the
job description.
“Let me assure you we will be having
a strict and robust process to make
sure only qualified persons are hired
and given firearms,” Interim Director
of Safety and Security Alistair Winter
said. The hiring process will consist
of a written exercise, at least two
interviews and psychological testing,
Winter said.
“We are requiring, even though they
will not be fully sworn officers, that
they have the same criteria as armed
peace officers,” Alvarez said.
Citing rising costs, insufficient training and liabilities, RSCCD voted to
disarm its officers in 1989, eliminating
their duties as peace officers and their
ability to make arrests and carry firearms, choosing instead to rely on the
Santa Ana Police Department.
Currently, Irvine Valley College and
Saddleback College, both in the South
Orange County Community College
District, are the only community college campuses in Orange County that
have armed officers.
“Our experience has been positive
and is supported by the campus
communities,” said Tere Fluegeman,
SOCCCD director of public affairs
and government relations.
“After taking the necessary time to
evaluate and make educated decisions
on the safety concerns and recommendations, we have finally reached
the point where those recommendations should be put into action,”
Alvarez said. “It would be irresponsible
to do otherwise.”
Former student trustee Alana
Voechting says she does not understand the pressing need for armed
guards. “I really believe they want
to make the campus safe, but I don’t
think it was done the right way.”
As it stands, the preference for filling
positions would be to hire retired
police officers.