By: August Kreutz
They tool around campus in a stealth EZ-GO electric golf cart.
They wear dark uniforms over body armor and black boots on their feet. They are campus security.
Look at their belts and see various pieces of equipment, including batons, but not a firearm.
That will cause some students to ask: Who responds during a crisis? The answer: It will be a joint exercise involving local law agencies.
Leslie Wiemers, the security supervisor of the Larimer campus, said, “The only people armed on campus are those who are given permission by the school president.” There are three security supervisors, one for each campus.
He said, “All the supervisors are people with law enforcement background and experience in command.”
None of Wiemers’ “security technicians” have prior law enforcement experience, though some have prior law enforcement training.
He said, “During an active shooter situation, the campus becomes a crime scene, so we let law enforcement take over.”
Security’s protocol is “the same as yours,” said Wiemers: Lock the doors, hide in darkness, and wait for law enforcement to arrive.
Campus security’s role is to provide first-aid, deal with theft and vandalism, and to enforce campus rules, according to the FRCC website.
Wiemers declined to share his opinion on the school policy for armed security or the protocol of an active shooter situation.
Concealed-carry permits remain valid on campus, so the number of armed individuals on campus is somewhat unknown, but if a concealed-carry weapon is brandished or shown, campus security wants to be notified immediately.
Schools around the country have been strengthening their defenses in recent years, especially after the Parkland shooting in 2018. With this in mind, students are instructed to lock doors during class. They lock automatically in the newer buildings on campus.