Responsible University Officer: Andrew Luchsinger - Chief of Security and Safety
Policy Contact: Andrew Luchsinger - andrew-luchsinger@bethel.edu
The possession, use, or distribution of any explosives, guns or other deadly or dangerous materials or weapons reasonably calculated to produce bodily injury is prohibited on Bethel property unless specifically authorized by the Director of Security or authorized representative. Weapons of any kind that may reasonably be calculated to produce bodily injury include but are not limited to, handguns, rifles, shotguns, other firearms, knives, stun guns/ tasers, potato cannons, paintball guns, pellet/BB guns, martial arts weaponry, bows, slingshots, and any other devices used in game or sporting activities, including ammunition, arrows, or other types of projectiles associated with such items, are prohibited on Bethel property except by authorized personnel within the security and safety department. This prohibition is to be interpreted in the broadest sense to include any such weaponry and further extends to “toy” or facsimiles (including airsoft guns) thereof, which can cause bodily harm or threat to other persons.
An exception to the above prohibition is that persons who reside in campus housing may possess game hunting or trapshooting firearms as long as they are both (a) registered with Bethel Security and (b) stored by security personnel immediately after being brought on campus, while on campus, and taken from campus immediately after being returned to the owner from security storage.
The weapons prohibition set forth above further extends to all Bethel sponsored or related off-campus activities, including business, academic, sporting or leisure activities, related travel, or any other events involving Bethel. This prohibition against possession of weaponry explicitly includes vehicles owned or operated by Bethel or Bethel personnel.
Bethel Security and Safety personnel and student life staff members are authorized to make reasonable inquiries and searches as necessary to enforce this policy. Anyone in violation of this policy will be subject to confiscation and forfeiture of the weapons and dismissal from the University.