A man in Michigan was killed by a bullet from a campus police officer’s gun.

But the officer wasn’t acting uncontrollably.

Instead, he was trying to stop the man from stabbing his live-in girlfriend to death.

At the University of Michigan, Department of Public Safety officers have been carrying guns since 1990.

All DPS officers across the country carry guns, except those at Iowa State.

Ames is a relatively safe town.

The police blotter’s most common offenses are alcohol- related.

It’s probably safe enough to say DPS officers here don’t need guns, but Ann Arbor, Michigan, probably seems just as safe.

Perhaps ISU should re-evaluate their no-gun policy.

DPS may not want to feel as if they are threatening students.

Maybe they want to be on the same level as the students.

However, we must remember the officers are protecting students who may be fatally threatened by their peers.

And officers must protect themselves.

Carrying guns may give both students and officers a sense of security.

In a situation similar to that at the University of Michigan, what would a DPS officer without a gun have done to stop the knife-wielding man from stabbing his girlfriend?

What would an ISU officer have done in the same situation?

What could an unarmed officer do if the man stabbing his girlfriend turned on the police officer?

There would have been no self-defense.

What if the violent man turned on neighbors trying to help the woman? How would the police officers protect the onlookers?

Although ISU prides itself on maintaining peace and order without guns, the no-gun policy should be reconsidered.