Villanova Students Protest Armed Police Plan: Report

Villanova students staged a protest Friday afternoon to express their opposition to the school’s decision to add armed police officers to campus security, according to reports.

Villanova University announced Monday it will be adding armed police officers to its campus security operations beginning next fall.

6ABC reports the protest was “peaceful.” It was not immediately clear how many students participated in the protest against the plan to add armed police officers, which school officials say is part of an “ongoing commitment” to enhance the safety and security on campus.

Once in place, the new security setup will include a combination of security and police officers, with a select group undergoing the same specialized training as public law enforcement, the university said.

“At the completion of this transition, approximately 20 percent of the University’s 75-member department will be police officers,” according to an announcement by the university.

“By creating a department with both security and police officers, the University can provide a higher level of campus safety, quicker response time and enhanced partnerships with local law enforcement,” Villanova said in a statement. “This change in operation will align Villanova with the majority of its higher education peers. Nearly 70 percent of all colleges and universities nationwide have a police department.”