Campus police at the University of Rhode Island are carrying firearms in the line of duty. We state what sounds obvious because as of last Thursday, that wasn’t the case. URI was the only public university in the nation whose police officers were unarmed—no guns, just a shiny light on their car and badge on their chest to protect themselves and students from all the world’s evils.
If you’re wondering about the delay, perhaps we can glean some insight from Frank Annunziato, executive director of the URI chapter of the American Association of University Professors: “The worst crime that's ever done here is people smoke marijuana. This is a happy place. It’s not a place where guns are necessary.” The kicker: “We just hope the worst does not happen.”
