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LA: Panel Kills College Dorm Gun Ban

828 views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  legacy38 
#1 ·
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7758147.html

By JORDAN BLUM
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: May 31, 2007 - Page: 5a

An attempt to close a state “loophole†that allows firearms in college dorms was soundly defeated Wednesday in a House committee after several Second Amendment advocates spoke against it.

House Bill 461 by Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Grambling, attempted to include dorms in the firearm-free school zone portion of state law in order to coincide with university policies, which already ban firearms in dorms.

Gallot had introduced a similar bill in 2003 that died in the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.

HB461 failed again Wednesday in the same committee by an 8-2 vote.

Gallot introduced the bill again in the wake of the murder of 32 Virginia Tech students last month.

Gallot was left frustrated when the debate focused on constitutional gun rights more than on his actual bill.

“We discussed everything but what this law does,†Gallot said in closing, arguing the bill would have only added more enforcement strength to existing college policies.

Maurice Franks, a Southern University law professor, said Gallot’s bill was “feel good legislation†in the aftermath of Virginia Tech that will only make college campuses more inviting targets for criminals.

“All we’re doing is assuring the criminals their victims won’t be armed,†Franks said.

If licensed concealed gun carriers were able to have guns on campus at Virginia Tech, many lives could have been spared, Franks argued.

Franks said university police officers often are “glorified meter maids†rejected by city police departments.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Tara Mica said her organization would not support the bill as written.

Rep. Warren Triche, D-Thibodaux, cited the bumper sticker, “When guns are outlawed, only the outlaws will have guns.â€

Triche also said the state’s firearm-free school zones could be considered unconstitutional.

Gallot attempted to bring the discussion back to point, reiterating the bill only sought to match existing college policies.

State law makes exceptions for licensed weapons in dorms or while going to and from a vehicle and dorm on campus.

For instance, an LSU student with a gun in a dorm room could be expelled under university policy, but not face any legal consequences.

Only Reps. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, and Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, supported Gallot’s bill.
 
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#3 ·
Malum Prohibitum said:
GeorgiaGlocker said:
National Rifle Association spokeswoman Tara Mica said her organization would not support the bill as written.
Does that mean they would support it if it were "written" differently? :roll:
C'mon MP....you know the answer is yes.

Is the NRA the S&W of this decade?
 
#4 ·
How about it youse college student and employee types? Is this an accurate statement?

And, again, I quote:

"Franks said university police officers often are “glorified meter maids†rejected by city police departments. "

At least he said "often" rather than "always"...
 
#5 ·
Macktee said:
How about it youse college student and employee types? Is this an accurate statement?

And, again, I quote:

"Franks said university police officers often are “glorified meter maids†rejected by city police departments. "

At least he said "often" rather than "always"...
Come to Georgia Southern and I will show you proof positive. But in all fairness to meter maids....they are not as fat.
 
#7 ·
I have three degrees from three colleges/universities. One, GMC, only had security when I was there, but they have since gone to certified police officers. VSU's department when I was there was made up of mostly retired USAF guys from Moody AFB, but there were younger guys there as well. I do know that one left and went to the GSP and another was hired straight into the Lowndes County drug squad.

I have a graduate degree from UGA. From working joint ops with the Secret Service, I know that five of the agents in the Atlanta office are former UGAPD. I also know that two of the Athens GBI agents are former UGAPD. The head of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center is former UGA PD as was his predecessor. When I was in the academy, three of the four staff instructors were UGA. SheriffOconee is former UGA as is the sheriff in Greene County and his chief deputy. The command staffs of Athens-Clarke County PD, Clarke County SO, Barrow County SO, and the Walton County SO all have former UGA guys. A former chief in Jefferson was UGA then the FBI and is now back at UGA, and I know of at least two UGA guys in the DEA, two in ICE, and a few more GBI, GSP, and USSS agents and at least one more FBI.

A look at the UGA Police web page at www.police.uga.edu will show you that those guys have some good things going. Pay close attention to their special teams section. The ACCPD shut down its bomb squad after UGA started theirs.

Others that I know personally: the Commerce chief was once the chief at NGC&SU, and I think that one of his LTs is a former UGA, but I'm not sure. He was with ACCPD when I met him.

The chief at Armstrong was Valdosta PD guy that was in the command staff when I was at VSU. He left for the chief's job at Armstrong. One of the Savannah-Chatham homicide cops is former UGA, and one of the UGA guys that used to help at the academy is a gang investigator with them. A lot of the investigative staff at Barrow County SO are former UGA. It is my understanding that over 60 former UGA guys have gone on to be department heads elsewhere.

One of the SGTs at UWG was a former chief in Villa Rica. The UWG guys answer calls in the city and county whenever they have stuff holding. The Winterville chief left the WPD to go to UGA. The chief of staff of the ACCPD left to go to UGA, but he started out at UGA. At least one UGA LT is a former Athens PD officer. Columbus State has several that came over for educational opportunities and benefits. The chief at UGA was a deputy somewhere around Dooley or Dodge county years ago.

Statham has an officer that was fired from UGA. Statham has an officer that is on her fifth department in five years. Statham had another officer that was ruled psychologically unfit for duty while with the ACCPD, and he started with Screven County SO and has also worked with Braselton and Barrow. Another officer that was fired at UGA went on to be chief of his next department.

These are all people that I know either personally or from joint ops and training or through the grapevine. I can ask around if needed.

The biggest problem for college/univeristy PDs have is keeping their quality officers. All of the USG schools waive tuition as a benefit of employment; so, a lot of the guys working at the campus agencies work there long enough to finish their degrees and then jet to somewhere else. The other challenge the campus agencies face is that they answer to a bunch of sixties liberal hippie professors. Those campuses that are run by presidents that allow the campus agencies to be police generally have good departments. Those that only want smoke and mirrors get just that.
 
#8 ·
I just remembered a few more:

Two of the firearms instructors I've had at GPSTC were former UGA. One left GPSTC to be the firearms instructor for the USSS Counter Assault Teams (POTUS Detail) and one is now at FLETC-Glynco as an instructor.

Also, a few have gotten on with the Air Marshals.
 
#9 ·
legacy38 said:
Those that only want smoke and mirrors get just that.
I'm surprised they even gave the guys at Southern pistols at all.

There is only one guy that looks like a real cop. The rest look lazy and unqualified to wear even a CCW badge.
 
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