CSU bans concealed carry.

[Beau]

Sheriff vows not to enforce campus disarmament policy

Colorado State University is one of the few institutions of higher learning outside Utah where licensed carry of a defensive firearm is not against either school rules (in Utah, state law forbids colleges and universities from putting such rules in place), or state law. That may soon change.

Currently, Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colorado is a campus that allows legal concealed carry by CCW permit holders. The faculty has made noises that the policy should be changed to sharply restrict weapons to "security officials guarding high-profile visitors". Professor Richard Eykholt, chairman of CSU’s Faculty Council, supports the change stating: "Most uses of weapons are in the heat of the moment where the person later regrets it."
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Good of them to at least be willing to allow armed defense of those deemed sufficiently important (more important, certainly, than mere students, faculty, staff, etc.).
A funny thing happened on the way to the defenseless victim zone, though--the student body came out overwhelmingly against it.

At Colorado State University in Fort Collins, public safety experts and the president's cabinet support a gun ban.
Before the decision is made, however, the school wants to hear what students think.
Wednesday night, the student governing body voted 21-3 in support of keeping CSU a conceal-and-carry campus. Five student senators were absent or did not vote.
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Obviously, a student senate vote is not binding on the school, which is free to act counter to the expressed wishes of the students. Still, they asked--presumably for a reason.
CSU, being located in Ft. Collins, CO, is in Larimer County. The Sheriff of Larimer County made a trenchant observation about the proposal to ban defensive handgun carry on campus.

"I think whenever you create a gun-free zone, you have an opportunity for criminals to act with impunity," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said.
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In what may be the most remarkable part of this story is that Sheriff Alderden is publicly backing that position up--saying that his department will not enforce a campus gun ban.

The Larimer County Sheriff will refuse to help enforce any concealed carry ban at CSU, student government officials said Wednesday, but permit holders packing heat and the Sheriff's office have little to worry about if student government has any say in the matter.

At its weekly Senate meeting, the Associated Students of CSU passed a resolution supporting the school's existing policy allowing concealed weapons on campus by a vote of 21-3, with one senator abstaining.

[ . . . ]

During discussion of the resolution, Sen. David Ambrose, who helped draft the document, read an e-mail statement by Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden saying Alderden's office would "not hold or detain a valid permit holder who violates that policy, nor would his department have anything to do with enforcing that policy."

Alderden also said he did not believe unelected university officials have any authority to enact such a ban, which would "directly counter" Colorado law.
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Good for Sheriff Jim Alderden (who sounds to me like an Oath Keeper, in every sense of the term), good for the Larimer County residents who elected him, and good for the CSU student senate. Let's hope the school administration is wise enough to heed them.
Update: So much for the will of the student body--the University's Board of Governors voted for mandated defenselessness.

Colorado State University joined most major colleges nationwide in forbidding concealed weapons on campus Friday in a decision that pitted faculty asking for a ban against students demanding the right to carry guns.
The university's Board of Governors voted 7-0 Friday to outlaw firearms on its campuses in Fort Collins and Pueblo.
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I wonder if they'll remember to not call the Sheriff's office to help enforce their disarmed victim zone.

I plan on going back to school when I move back to CO. Guess where I will not be attending.

 

[WabashMX5]

Bravo to the sheriff; rotten eggs for the brainwashed faculty.

 

[SirRealism]

I received the following email from Sheriff Alderden:

I may have already responded to some of you so if this is redundant, please forgive me. I have been overwhelmed with e-mails regarding my position on the CSU rule prohibiting students, faculty or staff from carrying anything on campus that may be used in self-defense; i.e. concealed handgun, mace, or stun gun. This is incredibly irresponsible.

I have received 170 e-mails from all corners and coasts of the United States supporting my position. I haven't had such a response since my Third Annual Politically Incorrect Christmas tree Decorating Party or the Balloon Boy incident. For those of you who haven't made the connection, yes, I'm the overweight bald Sheriff who was at the center of the Balloon Boy Hoax. I tried responding individually to your e-mails to express my appreciation for your kind words, but it soon became evident that I wasn't going to be able to. I do have a few other things on my plate. To each of you, please accept my humble appreciation for your support and encouragement.

By the way, I did get one negative e-mail. 170 to 1, and it wasn't from Dr. Frank, the CSU President.

Many of you have suggested that I run for higher office. I have said it before, but I don't think there is any higher office than that of Sheriff. It is an office that gives me the most direct contact with the people and the best opportunity to act rather autonomously to do the right thing. I only have to answer to the public, not the politicians. In any event, I'm about to wrap up a 38 year career and my 12th as Sheriff. I would love to hang around but Colorado enacted term limits several years ago to ensure that the most qualified and competent people can't remain in office too long.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write but my position really wasn't a difficult or courageous decision to make as some of you have implied. It was simply the right thing to do and in keeping with my sworn oath.

Jim Alderden
Larimer County Sheriff

 

[smokingman]

That is a great reply.Wish there where more like him.