By Antonio D. French
Filed Friday, April 20, 2007 at 6:01 AM
READ IT HERE FIRST Labels: Exclusive
Governor Matt Blunt will be in St. Louis today to discuss his new Campus Security Task Force, which was announced after the student massacre at Virginia Tech.
At the press conference, scheduled for 1:45 p.m. at Harris-Stowe State University, Pub Def has learned that Blunt will announce the appointment of Harris-Stowe President Henry Givens to the task force.
Yesterday Blunt announced the selection of AFT agent Michael Boxler, from Lee’s Summit, for one spot on the task force which will be lead by Director of Public Safety Mark James and Dr. Robert Stein, Commissioner of Higher Education.
Last October, Gov. Blunt drew criticism for suggesting that teachers being allowed to carry fire arms was an "interesting idea worth pursuing."
UPDATE: As we reported earlier, Gov. Blunt did indeed appoint Givens to the task force. Here is the complete list of members:
The governor named the following members to serve on the task force:
Michael Boxler of Lee’s Summit – Missouri Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Kyle Brenneman of Hannibal – Dean of Student Development, Hannibal LaGrange College
Nancy Bush of Jefferson City – Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism Director, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Lynn Carter of Jefferson City – Deputy Director, Missouri Department of Mental Health
David Fedder of St. Louis – Partner, Bryan Cave
Paul Fennewald of Jefferson City – Homeland Security Coordinator, Missouri Department of Public Safety
Kevin French of Springfield – Director of Safety and Security, Drury University
Dr. Henry Givens of St. Louis – President, Harris-Stowe State University
Van Godsey of Jefferson City – Director, Missouri Information Analysis Center
Clarence Green of Maryville – Director of Campus Safety, Northwest Missouri State University
Matthew Headrick of Warrensburg – Criminal Justice Student, University of Central Missouri
James Hughes of Kirksville – Chief of Kirksville Police Department
John Jordan of Jackson – Cape Girardeau County Sheriff
Colonel James Keathley of Jefferson City – Superintendent, Missouri State Highway Patrol
John Kraemer of Cape Girardeau – Associate Professor, Southeast Missouri State University
Thomas Malecek of Town & Country – Director of Corporate Security, Brown Shoe Company
Ron Olinger of St. Joseph – Vice President of Financial Planning and Administration, Missouri Western State University
Mark Potratz of Park Hills – Director of Public Safety, Mineral Area College
Gary Snavely of Springfield – Director of Safety and Transportation, Missouri State University
Don Strom of St. Louis – Chief of Police for Washington University
Rod Surber of Joplin – Director of Public Information, Missouri Southern State University
Dorla Watkins of Parkville – Vice President for Finance and Administration, Park University
Jack Watring of Columbia – Director of University Police, University of Missouri – Columbia
Sheriff Greg White of Jefferson City – Cole County Sheriff
Chuck Witt of Columbia – Assistant Fire Chief, Columbia Fire Department
5 Comments:
It is a shame that we need task forces to determine if the schools and other groups are safe. A task force for this, a task force for that....
I'm all for the freedom to own a gun...but lets have a reality check that certain restrictions need to be in place, that ammo needs to be controled. We live in a society and as such, sometimes our rights must give way to the rights of the greater society. Without that, we have anarchy.
Could the VA event been prevented? What do you do when a person refuses to get help, yet follows the laws of the land? How many people (friends, family) tried to help? I read that some teachers pushed him for help, but where are the people that knew him for years???
4/20/2007 9:37 AM
Ammo and guns controlled? Criminals will always be able to get them, while honest citizens will be restricted. Really, if some teachers at Virginia Tech had a gun, well, I am sure they would have used them properly.
Gun control will not solve this problem. Criminals will always be able to access guns through the informal economy.
4/20/2007 12:27 PM
Oh sure, so let's all pack guns so that whenever we are, whereever we are, if we get into a situation we don't like, we can start popping away.
(yes the students were undefendable, but I'm not addressing that aspect, I'm addressing the shooters).
4/20/2007 9:52 PM
Dont blame others for this persons acts.
It is not the responsibility of others to control this guy.
As for guns...
If not a gun then a bomb or a fire or a knife or a car or a car bomb or etc etc.....
4/21/2007 10:34 AM
The news media don't report on the bad things that university professors do. Not all professors are good people.
Do you really want to have all of them packing pistols?
Some of them are pedophiles, people with murder convictions, etc.
It was only last summer that Mizzou announced it would start to do background checks on faculty. Private universities have an easier time covering bad things up. Every large group has a few rotten apples. The commercial media help cover the bad stuff up so as not to offend Civic Progress.
4/21/2007 10:49 AM
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