Monahan Law Blog

Department of Education Releases Report Calling for Increased Safety and Security Measures at College Campuses

A report by the Massachusetts Department of Education called for its colleges and the University of Massachusetts to respond to the potential of "serious violence" on public school campuses across the state.  Currently, state public higher education officicals are considering whether to implement the proposed safety and security measures.  Since 1990, 13 separate incidients like the one at Virginia Tech have occured across the United States.  Such tragedies require bolstering campus security especially for more prevalent crimes such as sexual assaults and other violence, according to the Department's report.  The report made more than two dozen recommendations to improve school safety including identifying at risk students, providing necessary mental health assistance, upgrades to campus security systems and establishing plans to respond to on campus emergencies.  In addition, researchers have reommended that sworn college police officers be permitted to carry guns, be trained to deal with a situation where someone is shooting people in a campus building like what occured at Virginia Tech, and have equipment to break into locked rooms and buildings.