Loh Backs O'Malley Gun Legislation, Looks to Extend Campus Police Reach

In a lengthy column from Thursday's issue of The Diamondback, University of Maryland President Wallace Loh urges state legislators to pass a series of gun control measures proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley and vows to expand campus police coverage to off-campus areas frequented by students.

Loh's comments come just over a week after two UMD students were killed and another injured in a College Park murder-suicide—an event that "pierced our community’s emotional armor and awakened our vulnerability."

"We are a campus family of some 37,000 students and 13,000 faculty and staff," Loh writes. "We must take thoughtful action together."

The president outlines several areas of concern and steps the university is taking in the aftermath of the shooting. Those include bolstering mental health resources and expanding the reach of the University of Maryland Police Department to include areas around campus where many students live.

Loh also writes that while he respects the second amendment, "strengthening regulations will save lives and need not strangle this right."

"As part of our university’s comprehensive approach to safety, I urge the General Assembly to enact the governor’s gun safety legislation," he adds.

Read the full column here.