BSU security chief: ‘My concern is the safety of our campus’

John Uda, executive director of security at Boise State University and a former FBI agent, firearms instructor, SWAT team leader and tactical trainer, told the House State Affairs Committee, “My concern is the safety of our campus, so that’s the way I look at this issue. I could not find the compelling information that would lead me to be for this bill.” He said he could find only two other colleges in the nation that allow the carrying of concealed weapons, both in Colorado. He said, “During the past 15 years, people have been 60 times less likely to be murdered on a college campus than in society. … The odds are one in a million.”

Uda said the crime rate on his campus is low. “Will adding guns to this equation lower crime rates even more?” he asked. He noted that some students have mental health issues, or use drugs or alcohol. “Students undergo a tremendous amount of personal development during their college years. … Adding a weapon to a university environment will serve as an accelerant for conflict, not a deterrent.”