Help with getting carry on college campus approved

[HiTekRedneck]

I find it so hard to be a law abiding citizen nowadays with all the morons we have telling us what we can and can't do. Here is the story, I'm really at a loss as what steps to take now. My wife works at a local college (won't say which one at this time) and has been trying unsuccessfully over the past 2 years to get approval to carry on campus. Each time the college president comes back with the excuse that "there would need to be conditions that create an eminent danger to the employee that give rise to a special need for self-protection above and beyond the services of Campus Police." Here is the argument that she keeps going back to...campus police don't provide security to and from work. If she needs to run errands during her lunch break or on the way home, she has effectively been denied her right to carry by this college president. Normally a person would just store their firearm in their vehicle during their work hours, but here's the deal, she drives a soft top Jeep Wrangler (most of the times with the doors removed) and on other days she rides a motorcycle. As she has explained to the president, neither provide and adequate way to safely store a firearm in accordance with the SDA. I know that there are secure lock boxes you can add to the Jeep, but on the motorcycle, there is barely enough room to carry an extra pair of sunglasses, much less bolt on some kind of security box that could just be taken along with the motorcycle if someone was motivated enough.

All that being said, what are our next steps? Is there anything else that we can do? I find it so frustrating that the powers that be think that by saying "No firearms allowed", means that the criminals will leave their weapons at home just like us law abiding citizens have to do. Maybe we can get some changes made to the SDA stating that if an employer denies the right to carry at work and the employee lacks secure storage for their firearm, that the employer must provide secure storage for said firearm? Sorry if I'm ranting, but I can't be with my wife 24x7 to protect her, that's why she is trained and obtained her carry permit so she can protect herself if she ever needs to do so. So, what can we do now?

 

[smcgee10]

When I was at college, I would carry to college. Then I would surrender the firearm to campus police, fill out forms, and get the gun back whenever I left campus. When I returned I would surrender it again. They made it a pain. I played their game. They finally got tired of it and told me just to keep it and keep quiet about it. It only added about 15 min to my day.

 

[Danny Tanner]

When I was at college, I would carry to college. Then I would surrender the firearm to campus police, fill out forms, and get the gun back whenever I left campus. When I returned I would surrender it again. They made it a pain. I played their game. They finally got tired of it and told me just to keep it and keep quiet about it. It only added about 15 min to my day.

While I'm not necessarily thrilled with the idea of the Gov't/Military/Law Enforcement babysitting my firearms for me, I do wish that Tinker would enact a similar policy.

 

[HiTekRedneck]

I believe she asked about that and they said it wasn't an option at this time. Besides, when the campus police at this place have been needed, they were nowhere to be found. And I would never take their word to just keep it, per the SDA you must have approval from the president in writing and on your person if memory serves correct. It's odd that if you carry in Walmart with your permit, you are a sane law abiding citizen...but when you try to carry on a college campus, you must be some kind of crazed wacko who wants to shoot up the place. When the laws were written, did they not realize that the people at both places are the same, and more so that you are the same person regardless of where you might be?

 

[HiTekRedneck]

While I'm not necessarily thrilled with the idea of the Gov't/Military/Law Enforcement babysitting my firearms for me, I do wish that Tinker would enact a similar policy.

IMO they should provide a secure lock box that you and you alone have the key to open checked out at the time you surrender the firearm. And if by any chance that they would need to open the box without you present, they would need an extra master key and would need to record it in a log book along with who surrendered what and when. But as with most things, common sense is no longer common and we have lazy people running this country no longer willing to work with law abiding citizens.

 

[Maverick7340]

It's always the ones that can have a cop in their pocket all day that don't want others to have the freedom to save their own lives.

I work at OU and ride a MC to work some times. I just make sure I go to and from work and the only time I stop is for gas. I carry a pocket knife in my pocket just in case. She could carry pepper spray too.

 

[CorpsVet]

Get a more secure vehicle, if it's that important to her . . .

 

[ronin0829]

Ok, I am gonna play some "If's" here. If your wife was allowed to carry on campus would her weapon be on her body at all times or would it be in a purse or other bag that may be left sitting where someone else would have access to it when she went to the restroom/breakroom/or otherwise left the area she worked in? If there was a lockdown on the campus and an intruder came in the room she was in does she have the training/mindset to use her weapon to protect herself and others she is locked down with?

I am not against your wife carrying her weapon to protect herself, but there are a lot of "If's" that she probably hasn't thought about.

As far as the University having to provide secure storage for her weapon, that is not the University's responsibility as she is able to secure it in her vehicle while on campus property under the provisions of the SDA. Sorry that she doesn't have a very secure vehicle.

That said, at the University I work for as a Police Officer, we provide secure storage for anyone that wishes to utilize it.

 

[VladdDImpaler]

And at the university I work for, it seems any employee with a SDA permit is able to get a letter.

Want me to see if we have any openings for your wife?

 

[HiTekRedneck]

Get a more secure vehicle, if it's that important to her . . .

Why should the whims of 1 man make us change our life? We have 1 person being unreasonable about this, and are just looking to see if there is any way to get around him. Also, IMO there is no such thing as a secure vehicle. The SDA specifically allows the college president to allow carry on a per person basis, however when you have 1 person in your way, kinda makes it hell trying to be legal. If you want to foot the bill for a secure motorcycle, be my guest.

Ok, I am gonna play some "If's" here. If your wife was allowed to carry on campus would her weapon be on her body at all times or would it be in a purse or other bag that may be left sitting where someone else would have access to it when she went to the restroom/breakroom/or otherwise left the area she worked in? If there was a lockdown on the campus and an intruder came in the room she was in does she have the training/mindset to use her weapon to protect herself and others she is locked down with?

She has the same setup as I do, so no purse, it will be on her person at all times. She feels and would act the same way I imagine I would in that situation. We do go to the range fairly often, but like everything, until you are put in that situation, you can't be 100% sure what will happen. We were both raised in the country around firearms and taught that they were tools and a good way to protect yourself from 2 and 4 legged critters. Very valid questions, the last one I have asked friends who have talked about getting a permit, only to find out they would only use the firearm to to try and scare off an attacker, not actually try and end the threat.

And at the university I work for, it seems any employee with a SDA permit is able to get a letter.

Want me to see if we have any openings for your wife?

Not sure how far away it is, but we live in Coweta, so the Tulsa area is our range. If it is fairly close to Tulsa, that would be great, appreciate it. Also, if you don't mind, PM me with the details about being allowed to carry on your campus as the president we are dealing with, well here is his response, makes it sound like no other college in Oklahoma allows their employees to carry. "I have spent the past couple of weeks talking to other Oklahoma college and university presidents who have received similar requests to the one you sent to me, as well as reviewing your request with our Campus Police leadership. I have decided to decline your request. I do encourage you to use our college escort services." If we have proof that there is another college that allows it, might give us some ammunition to use against him.