does not extend that same protection to Alabama colleges and universities With the implementation of the law today students faculty and staff within stated parameters of the legislative act may have firearms on their possession and within their vehicles For several weeks the College h ID: 641885
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Colleagues:
Today, August 1, Alabama Law 213-286 is set to be implemented across the state. This piece of legislation, commonly known as the Alabama Gun Law, will have far-reaching implications for Wallace Community College and other colleges throughout the state. While establishing K-12 schools as gun-free zones, and restricting firearm possession to certified police officers and security personnel, the law
does not
extend that same protection to Alabama colleges and universities. With the implementation of the law today, students, faculty, and staff, within stated parameters of the legislative act, may have firearms on their possession and within their vehicles. For several weeks, the College has sought guidance on how to address the implementation of this law. The law itself is vaguely written and sometimes contradictory. The opinions we have received have shown no consensus with regard to interpretation of the law’s language and content. Last week, police departments and Sheriff offices across southeast Alabama met to discuss how to uniformly enforce the law. Dale County Sheriff Wally Olsen was a participant in that meeting.Slide3
On Monday afternoon, Chief Seth Brown and I met with Sheriff Olsen regarding his interpretation of the Alabama Gun Law and the law enforcement community’s plans for enforcing the law. We are working to schedule similar meetings with the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department and the Eufaula Police Department. Sheriff Olsen’s office is recognized by the Alabama Constitution as the sovereign police authority for the Wallace Campus. In our discussion, Sheriff Olsen flatly stated that under this law the College has no legal means of keeping firearms off the institution’s grounds and parking lots. The Sheriff did say that the College could implement certain protocols that would provide a legal foundation for keeping firearms out of our buildings and classrooms.
Following is a synopsis of the information that he presented:Slide4
•
The College must have a Policy prohibiting firearms on campus.
The
SBE
Policy 511.01 covers this requirement for all colleges. WCC also
has
a local Policy as well
which is
included in our
College Catalog and
Student
Handbook
.
• Under the terms of Alabama Code 2013-286, the College may prohibit
firearms
within buildings and classrooms if it meets all of the following
criteria
:
o
The College must have an armed Police/Security force at all of
its campuses
and sites.
o
The College must use security cameras or other security
apparatus to secure
its buildings.
o
The College must have “NO FIREARMS ALLOWED” signs
posted
at
every
entrance to its buildings
.Slide5
• Implementing these protocols
will legally allow WCC to prevent firearms
from
being brought into our buildings
. They
will not allow us to prevent them from being brought
ontoour
grounds and into our parking lots.
• If the College implements these protocols, and if a student is reported to have brought a firearm into one of our buildings, the College’s police officer can approach the
student and
ask him/her to remove the firearm from the facility. If the student does not comply, the College can arrest the student for trespassing. If the student does comply, he may legally deposit the firearm within his/her vehicle and return to class.
Wednesday afternoon Maintenance department employees placed temporary “No Firearms Allowed” signs on every exterior door of our buildings on both Campuses and the CEWD site. Permanent signs have been ordered and will be installed in approximately two weeks. At this point, we are totally compliant with the protocols outlined by Sheriff Olsen. You need to know that
the College fully expects to be tested
on our maintaining the College’s buildings free of firearms.Slide6
WHAT DO I DO?
All Personnel
• If you observe anybody possessing a firearm in a building, DO NOT
CONFRONT
THE INDIVIDUAL.
• Observe the individual well enough to get a good description of their
appearance
.
• Note the exact location where the individual is located. Go to the
nearest
phone and dial 111 on the Wallace Campus and 4210 on the
Sparks
Campus.
• Report the individual’s description and location to the Switchboard
Operator
. The Operator will notify Campus Police who will respond to
the
situation.
• Return to the site to observe the individual and direct Police to their
location
.
• Leave the site as the Police Officer addresses the individual.Slide7
Instructors and Lab Assistants
• Place a statement in all syllabi saying “
The College does not allow the
unauthorized
possession of firearms in buildings or classrooms
.”
• Specifically address your classes emphasizing
the College does not allow
the
unauthorized possession of firearms in buildings or classrooms
.
• If you are in a classroom setting and you observe a student possessing a
firearm
,
DO NOT CONFRONT THE INDIVIDUAL
.
• Stop the class and direct the students to remain seated.
• Go to the nearest phone and dial 111 on the Wallace Campus, and 4210
on
the Sparks Campus.
• Report the individual’s description and location to the Switchboard
Operator
. The Operator will notify Campus Police who will respond to
the
situation.
• Return to the classroom and continue the instructional process.
• When the Police Officer arrives, meet him in the corridor and identify
the
student.
• Return to the classroom with the Officer and request the student to
accompany
the Officer out of the class.
• Continue your instructional duties.Slide8
Police Officers and Security Personnel
• Address the student/individual and request that they accompany you
out
of the building.
• Identify the student/individual by their College ID.
• If the person is not a student take appropriate action remove him/her
from
the College.
• If the person is a student:
o
Inform him/her that they are in violation of the College’s Policy
by possessing
a firearm within a building.
o
Give the student the opportunity to deposit their firearm in
their
vehicle
in
compliance with Alabama law 2013-286 and
return
to class.
o
If the student refuses to deposit the firearm, or surrender it to
you
for
safekeeping
, direct that he/she leave the College.
o
If the student refuses to leave the College, detain the
individual
, contact
appropriate
law enforcement agencies,
arrest
him/her for trespassing,
and
have them transported
from
the premises.
• If at any time, whether in a building or on the grounds, an unauthorized
student/individual
brandishes a firearm, consider the activity an act of
aggression
and
RESPOND WITH APPROPRIATE FORCE.Slide9
Obviously, we are concerned that the freedoms afforded by public law 2013-286 could adversely impact how we do our jobs here at the College. Dr. Young and the Administrative Council wishes for every employee to be informed that we do not support the portion of this law that permits firearms on our Campuses and sites. We have joined with area law enforcement officials to register our concerns and complaints with area legislators. It is our hope that the protocols outlined in this email will serve to deter any student from bringing a gun into a building or classroom. For these safeguards to be effective, it is imperative that we all familiarize ourselves with these procedures and take appropriate actions should the need arise.
Lynn Bell
Dean of Business AffairsSlide10