How much security at a campus event is enough? Campus police are mulling the question.
Charlie Kirk’s assassination at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday has increased concerns about security and free speech on college campuses, and university police chiefs are thinking through what the shooting may mean for security at their schools.
The event drew about 3,000 people to an amphitheater-shaped space on campus, and authorities believe the fatal shot was fired from a rooftop overlooking the area. Six university police officers were assigned to the event, and Kirk had his own security detail. Still, some attendees said the security presence felt minimal, noting that there were no bag checks as people entered.
“Any time you have this type of violence, it’s a game changer”, says Richard Beary, who served for more than a decade as police chief at the University of Central Florida. He says there’s no formula for staffing or security measures at events featuring controversial speakers. Instead, he says decisions depend on the level of risk.
“You’re constantly trying to evaluate the security need versus the freedom on campus. It’s a constant balancing act that police chiefs do on a daily basis. And sometimes people don’t like it”, he says. He recalls that after the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, his department overhauled security protocols for large gatherings and football games.
