6.15 Public Safety

The mission of the Department of Public Safety at each college or center is to provide assistance, safety and security for people on campus, protection of District and personal property, traffic control, visitor assistance, lost and found property, loss prevention and loss reporting, identification of safety hazards and training and orientation of employees and students.

Certification pursuant to ARS §15-1444(10), the Governing Board appoints as police officers all eligible certified chiefs of security and certified safety personnel. These police officers shall have the authority and power of peace officers.

The Chancellor shall maintain a safe learning and working environment. Accordingly, he or she: shall be charged with designing and implementing the means to maintain college environments that are safe for students, employees and the community at large. This includes identifying and outlining District versus college authority over public safety matters through administrative regulations and establishing district standards of practice for the Department of Public Safety at each college. The Governing Board recognizes that the college safety officers that are certified pursuant to ARS §15-1444A(10) have the authority and power of peace officers. The Governing Board authorizes and requires its certified safety directors and officers to be armed with District issued firearms and other such weapons as may be required by the District. The arming of officers shall be pursuant to Arizona state law, annual or other required firearms qualification by Arizona peace officers standards and training (AzPost) as well as training or other requirements established by the Maricopa Community College District except as otherwise may be prohibited by law or other restrictions such as prohibitions on the carrying of firearms on tribal property.

1. When on-duty and on campus, sworn officers shall:

   Be armed with their assigned firearm at all times (except as may be prohibited by law or other restrictions such as prohibitions on the carrying of firearms on tribal property), and

   If not in uniform and on-campus, display their badge in such a manner that the officer is easily identifiable as an officer.

2. When off-duty, sworn officers may carry their District issued firearm, subject to the following limitations:Officers will not carry firearms while consuming alcohol, or where the reputation of the department would suffer.

   If an officer carries his/her District firearm off-duty, the officer must also carry his/her badge, college or District identity card, a second loaded magazine, and handcuffs.

   Officers who carry their weapon off-duty are subject to the same policies, rules and procedures as those which govern actions on-duty.

3. Officers who are off-duty and not acting in a policy capacity, who desire to engage in firearms practice/training with a District owned firearm at other than a police range will:

   Use only commercially produced factory new or factory reload ammunition.

   Immediately notify an on-duty supervisor in the event of an accidental discharge involving injury or property damage.

   Be governed by, and subject to, all provisions of policy, procedure and protocols relating to the use and handling of firearms.

4. The District Director of Public Safety, with the approval of the College President and in consultation with the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and General Counsel, may require an officer to surrender the officer's District owned firearm, and prohibit the officer from carrying a firearm, as follows:

   When the peace officer is relieved of the peace officer's duties and is under a criminal or administrative investigation.

   When the peace officer exhibits any impairment, including any physical or mental impairment that would cause concern for the well-being and safety of the officer, the officer's law enforcement agency, law enforcement agency employees or the community.

   As provided by law.

   The surrender and prohibition shall remain in place until the right to carry the firearm is reinstated by the District Director of Public Safety, with the agreement of the College President.

Adoption of this policy has the effect of eliminating Administrative Regulation 4.7 (Security Regulation).