COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:
Armed security guards serve valuable role

By Amy Vu

Published: Last Updated Tuesday, July 24, 2007 10:05 PM PDT

I have recently been surveyed on whether security guards should have guns on campus at Pasadena City College.

I believe we should have guns as weapons for the security guards because of things like what happened at Virginia Tech. Maybe if there were more security guards with weapons, they could have stopped the shooting, and not so many students would have been killed or injured. The only security guards who should have guns on campus, however, are the ones who have experience using some sort of weapons or guns. We wouldn't want a nonexperienced security guard to have a gun because they won't know when to shoot or even how to shoot at the suspect.

I also think we need more security guards on campus, so we can keep our school safe. Anybody can just walk into the school and start trouble or even start shooting at everything and everyone. Each security guard needs to watch after the students attending Pasadena City College.

If we have fewer security guards around campus, then anything bad could happen to our students. We should also have a few policemen come to campus once in a while, especially at night, because fewer students attend classes then.

In my case, I have a night class, and sometimes I do get scared walking to my car alone, but I would feel safer if there were security guards surrounding the parking lot, or anywhere near. When I'm walking to my car, I see only one security guard in the parking lot, and I think we should have at least two or three in each parking structure, then possibly have a few just walking around campus. I believe that makes the students feel more secure.

Honestly, these days, there are crazy people out there who might come to school one day and just kidnap, rape or rob a student out of nowhere. This is a similar situation at Wal-Marts in the United States. Bad things have occurred while customers were shopping or just walking to their car. If they had more security guards protecting customers inside Wal-Mart and in the parking lot, not so many bad things would happen to people.

We need more highly experienced security guards securing every shopping place, school campuses, etc. I know to some people being a security guard isn't very successful, but it really is something special because they get the chance to be a hero and save someone's life.

I know from experience, for my uncle, when he gets out there protecting everyone. He tells everyone how thrilled he was to save people from getting robbed, killed, etc.

He feels so honored to be working as a security guard and possibly soon to be a police officer. They play a very important role in everyone's lives.

If we had more security guards, students would feel safe, or at least I know I would. Taking night classes and walking to your car alone is very scary, especially for females.

AMY VU is a Burbank resident.

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