Salem Chapter MSCA Meeting
Executive Board Meeting
5 December 2002
02-03: 5

Approved 21 January 2003

ATTENDANCE:
Members: Aiyeku, Burchsted, Everitt, George, Johnston, Larson, Marsella, McGee (President), Sweeney.
Guests: Dean Bruno, Stan Cahill, Vincent O'Connell, Brian Pray, student representative from The Log.

1. Meeting Called to Order
The meeting was called to order by Paul McGee, the President, at 2:30 pm in the Conference Room, Public Safety/Campus Police Station, Central Campus.

2. Approval of the Minutes
It was moved and seconded to approve the minutes of 02-03:2, 02-03:3, 02-03:4. The motion carried.

3. Presentation by Campus Police
The purpose of this presentation was to inform the MSCA Salem Chapter Executive Board the reasons why the Salem State College Campus Police should carry guns. The vast majority of the presentation was presented by Brian Pray, Chief of Police, Campus Police, and Officer Bruno.

After a brief introduction to his experiences as a police officer, including education and training, Brian Pray spoke on the differences between the Campus Police force of the 1980s and the present. When Pray arrived in 1986, conditions of the Campus Police were not as professional as they are today. There was a lack of vehicles for officers to use, training was minimal (4 weeks per year), no dispatch center (used an answering machine for calls), the station was small and in poor condition, and few officers had college degrees. However, at that time officers carried guns. Immediately after Pray arrived, he unarmed the officers, in large part due to the conditions/lack of training that was present.

Currently, 54% of the officers have bachelor's degrees, the Campus Police has a new police station, adequate vehicles to use, increased the professional training of officers to a minimum of 4 months (both in-house and off-campus), there's a dispatch center, links to the 911 system, designated a LEAPS system, certified with First Responder, and have EMTs associated with the Campus Police.

The officers stated the need to carry guns due to:

• Increased cooperation and partnerships with Salem Police - SSC Campus Police provides coverage for Salem Police when Salem Police is busy with critical situations in the city;
  
  
• Outward appearance of police officers' uniforms and vehicles is nearly identical to Salem Police. Salem Police is armed and SSC Campus Police is not. Thus, SSC Campus Police is in increased danger with individuals who may be armed (who may think the SSC police officers are armed);
  
  
• Campus Police loses time during critical situations on campus. Currently, in a dangerous situation when a weapon is present, Campus Police may only evacuate an area surrounding the crisis area and call for armed assistance from Salem Police. Valuable minutes are lost during this time period. Officer Bruno showed Executive Board members a bulletin board full of weapons collected across campus over the last 12 years.
  
  
• The Campus Police lose out on valuable grants and awards due to not carrying guns (over $300,000 has been lost thus far).
  
  
• Also, 84% of public higher education institutions have police officers that carry guns, including the following state colleges: Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Worcester, Westfield, and Framingham.

The officers stated only those officers who have undergone psychological testing and firearm training will be allowed to carry guns. Those officers who are deemed unable to carry guns will be asked to perform tasks in the police station.

Regarding purchasing the guns, they would be obtained using a lease purchase: $6,000 per year.

The final decision, regarding SSC Police Officers carrying guns, will be made by the SSC Board of Trustees and President Harrington.

Discussion followed.

The Salem Chapter MSCA members seem to have mixed feelings on this subject. Some members are supportive, others are totally against it, and others have mixed feelings.

4. Other Business
College will be closing from 12/21-21/29. Grades need to be turned in to the Campus Police Station. Currently, 12/21 is being proposed as a make-up date instead of the 23rd.

A student has been dignosed with transmittable TB. There will be a memo distributed on this situation asap.

Merit Pay letters are out. 4 levels of merit pay: $0, $749, $1200.08, $1840.

Bargaining: Paul will invite the MSCA Bargaining Committee to Salem for a meeting with the faculty/librarians.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy George, secretary