Hochul talks with leaders from 200 New York colleges about campus security

(JNS) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul held a conference call with the academic leaders of more than 200 colleges throughout the state on Monday about new measures to contain intimidation and crime at anti-Israel protests on university campuses. Public safety experts also participated.

Hochul named public safety her “top priority” and said with classes resuming this fall, “it is essential that all students feel safe and are free from harm.”

The governor stated that in the spring, she ”directed college campuses to review and update their emergency response plans, and as tensions may be high as we start the academic year, I will continue to ensure all campus leaders and public safety officials have the resources they need to keep students safe.”

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has reviewed campus emergency plans and provided training sessions for staff based on the guidance from the Campus Planning Toolkit issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

The New York State Police has also prepared for activists opposing the Jewish state with troop commanders visiting university administrators to advise on various issues, including the necessary forms to request assistance from local law enforcement.

John B. King Jr., chancellor of the State University of New York system, called safety “paramount.” These academic institutions, he said, “have been and remain fiercely committed to ensuring security, civil discourse and inclusivity on our campuses.”