Should a police officer be allowed in a college class if wearing a uniform?

[Anonymous]

Puzzled even by the notion that someone might think it was not okay to be in class in uniform. In my college classes, we occasionally had people in uniform (mostly ROTC, I guess), suits, jeans, scrubs, pajamas, and costumes. honestly, the uniform would be the least concerning of the bunch, and no one thought they were on duty in the classroom. I certainly get why some people might feel threatened by police in general, but that's no reason to keep uniformed types out of classrooms and it's certainly no reason to make them change clothes. That's just silly.

Now, the gun question is different. Should people who are lawfully armed for their jobs be permitted to carry a weapon on campus? (And if it applies to military and cops, does it also apply to private security or any rando with a concealed carry in your state?) I'm pretty sure I don't know the answer or have a strong opinion. I don't have a great deal of faith that law enforcement personnel are never going to be the ones to snap or do something stupid with a gun. Generally, guns are not appropriate in the classroom and only increase the chance of something horrible happening. The chance of a planned school shooting is tiny (albeit not as tiny as it should be); the chance of someone getting angry and doing something stupid with a gun is sadly, relatively high. And while I recognize that calculus is a bit different for trained law enforcement, that "highly trained" bit only goes so far. And I know a lot of law enforcement and military types; they are as flawed as the rest of us. Guns are dangerous, regardless of who is holding them. And it doesn't do to overestimate the training of a 20-year-old police officer who maybe just got through the required courses at the academy, is walking a beat during the day and taking classes at night. Cops need guns on duty to protect themselves and others; they don't NEED them in a classroom. But . . . I can certainly see the argument that there is a net increase in safety.

[Anonymous]

Twenty years ago I waitressed in a diner (think Denny's). It was policy to give free coffee to police. This served two purposes:

a. It recognized and showed gratitude for their service.

b. Although the diner was a safe, family restaurant, increasing police presence was viewed as having a positive effect on security.