http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-891353.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – Sen. Jack Harper said the problem with keeping weapons off campus
is it creates what he calls defense-free zones.
(Obviously, where criminals believe there's not somebody who can
defend innocent life, they're not going to care there's a law
against firearms. They're going to come on the campus or in the
facility and try and harm people. I think it's important to have
law-abiding citizens with the ability to defend themselves.)
Police chiefs from colleges and universities signed up to oppose
measure. ASU Police chief John Pickens said his officers don't
want to have to figure out who are the good guys and who are the
bad guys if they run into a room where a weapon has been fired.
But Dave Kopp of the Arizona Citizens Defense League said that
presumes police can get there that fast.
(Now picture a guy with a gun. How much damage can he do to you
at that distance in 1.5 seconds? So you have to be preapred to
deal with that. Police are not going to be there in 1.5 seconds.
You are not going to be able to take a phone out and call them in
1.5 seconds. If you're talking about a 30-second response time,
you'd better be able to do something other than call police.)
The legislation wouldn't allow just anyone to be armed. It would
apply only to faculty members who have a state-issued permit to
carry a concealed weapon. For Arizona Public Radio this is Howard
Fischer.