A retired campus police officer says he doesn’t plan to appeal a court ruling once again turning down his demand to arm campus police at Iowa’s three state universities. Former University of Northern Iowa Public Safety Lieutenant Gary McCormack says campus police face potentially fatal hazards and need to carry firearms.
McCormack petitioned the Iowa Division of Labor to get that right, but the agency turned him down and he lost a district-court challenge. Now, an appeals has upheld the lower-court decision. “I guess I’d expect employers and the Department of Labor to be saying ‘What can we do to… make your jobs a safer place,’ not having to go to court.” He says he shouldn’t have to fight the court battle to make the workplace safer for his colleagues.
Years ago the campus cops fought to get the right to carry stun-guns, arguing they needed some protection since they couldn’t carry weapons. Retired Lieutenant McCormack says the Board of Regents rule needs another change, to let officers carry guns as they handle all kinds of situations including some that are dangerous and violent.
But the state Division of Labor says their safety measures are adequate, and the court ruling this week upheld that. “I think I’ve done about all I can do,” McCormack says. He hopes someone else will step up to the plate. McCormack says he’s spent a lot of money on the court challenges. With this latest court ruling against him, he says he’s done all he can, and he hopes someone else will step forward and carry the fight another step.