Just two years ago, Portland State University made the decision to de-arm its campus. This came after student protests and pressure to take away the armed presence that was previously provided by the Portland police force.

Just two years later though, PSU has now reversed its decision, meaning it will now be patrolled by a police force, who will once again be armed with firearms.

In a one-minute video, the head chief of Campus Public Safety, Willie Haliburton gave a message to the students of PSU where he claimed “We have not abandoned unarmed patrols. This is done so at the officer’s discretion and when it’s safe. I am glad to say that we have nine armed patrol officers, seven public safety officers, and eight campus ambassadors. We have a wonderful staff that mirrors our community.”

So, to clarify – PSU will still have unarmed patrols, but will now feature some armed patrols as well. This team will also work 24/7 around the PSU campus. In general, this move was well received by students and PDX residents, who welcomed it as a common-sense decision. I think we can all agree that a safer Portland is a better Portland!