Pellissippi State’s security guards are working on certifications to carry firearms. Along with arming the guards, the school’s security will be audited to ensure the most effective communication and notifications.
by Nicole Hedger
Pellissippi State will be arming its security guards.
“We want to make sure that the campus environment is as safe and secure as possible,” said Pellissippi president, Dr. Anthony Wise. The guards are going through “a series of psychological tests that they have to take, and certifications they have to get” in order to carry the firearms.
Pellissippi has been considering this decision in the past, but Wise said, “We just feel like this is the appropriate time to do it. We had one of our guards retire, and we’re starting a new search, so it seemed like this was a good time to make that transition.”
The college will also be conducting a security audit over the course of the summer. An outside group is being brought in to evaluate all of the school’s practices and procedure “to make sure we have the right kind of notifications in place, and the right kind of communication tools,” said Wise. “(This is) so that we have all the tools we need in place in order to make the campus as safe and secure as possible.”





