Gun control to be loosened with approaching Olympics
The Winter Olympics is approaching, and people around the world are zooming their attention toward Utah. An armada of media have pitched their studios, fastened the tripods, set up the microphones and are ready for first-hand news competition as fierce as the Games. Utah is focused, and Salt Lake City will be squeezed under the spotlight.
As excitement about the upcoming Olympics is flourishing, so is the excitement over the state’s gun control issue in the Utah legislature.
While the whole nation is gradually recovering from the aftermath of Sept. 11, Utah government is calling for the local police to ensure the security during the Olympics. The Utah legislature, however, is setting sight on loosening the state’s gun control policy.
One bill, introduced by Sen. Scott Jenkins, proposes to remove the requirement for the concealed weapon permit seekers to take a class, which teaches the state’s gun laws. The other bill brought up by GOP legislative leaders would revoke the University of Utah’s 20-year-old gun ban policy for faculty, staff and students.
The University of Utah is a designated athlete’s village and soon will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. The school’s president, Bernie Machen, is actively fighting against the proposed bill, according to the Associated Press.
According to the school’s gun control policy, “[The] University of Utah has the obligation to provide an environment that is safe for learning. Guns have no place in educational institutions. Our policies implement that belief. These policies are both legally permissible under Utah law and constitutionally required under the First Amendment.”
Coralie Alder, director of Public Relations at the University of Utah, said students at the university are prohibited from carrying any type of firearm on campus. Although students and staff are not allowed to carry guns, the university doesn’t have a set guideline for campus visitors, Adler said.
“We don’t have a gun ban rule to the visitors,” Alder said.
Even though the campus doesn’t have a rule for visitors, Adler said university officials don’t want visitors carrying any type of weapons on campus.
Utah State University shares a similar gun control policy with the University of Utah, Steve Mecham, USU Campus Police Chief, said.
“People are not allowed to carry any type of firearm on campus unless they have a concealed weapon permit,” Mecham said.
He also explained weapons in the housing facilities are strictly prohibited, which is addressed in USU’s housing contract. This contract is the only form of gun control on the USU campus.
“Since 1995, we have received 17 reports of weapons offenses on campus, and five people were arrested for inquiry,” Mecham said. “We don’t arrest people simply because they have the gun with them.”
Mecham said weapon-related arrests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
In February 2000, for example, Mecham said a spouse of a USU student was arrested for hiding a gun in her car.
Although USU has a gun control policy, Mecham said it could be more specific.
“I prefer the school could have the opportunity to create the rules in regulating the firearm on campus,” Mecham said.