Crime & Safety
College Police: Rifles Needed to Keep the Peace
Rifles would help law enforcement keep the campus safe by being able to shoot at long-range targets instead of being limited to handguns, officers from the community college's police force said.
Updated 12:59 p.m.
Southwestern College Police Department Chief Michael Cash has requested that law enforcement at the community college receive rifles in order to respond in the event of a shooting or other potential threats at the campus, The SWC Sun reported Wednesday.
“If I’m going to put my life on the line, I want to make sure that our people have the best equipment to stop whatever is going to come across, because if we don’t, we’re not of service to anyone here,” Cash told the newspaper.
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Cash was hired as the college's new police chief in August.
Southwestern is the only college in the county that does not have rifles or Tasers, Sergeant Robert Sanchez told The Sun.
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Some college employees believe the community's opinions should be sought before rifles come to the Chula Vista campus, and that other more likely public safety threats like earthquakes or fires should be addressed first.
What do you think? Do police at Southwestern College need rifles? Share in comments.
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