The GW Police Department plans to sharply increase the number of armed officers as they work to reach the levels they outlined in their initial arming plan, a University spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Seven additional supervisory officers, including GWPD Chief Victor Brito, have completed firearms training and will be armed by the department once licensed, and six supervisory officers are currently trained and armed, according to University Spokesperson Julia Garbitt. The additional armed officers will bring the total armed members of the force to 13 as the department aims to fill vacancies and arm 22 supervisory officers as outlined in the University’s 2023 arming plan.
GWPD’s staffing surged around 20 percent this academic year, after the department faced two years of vacancies in senior positions.
“As envisioned in the University’s multi-phase arming process, up to 22 supervisory officers, or about a third of the force, will be armed when all vacancies are filled, a Monday University release states.
Brito confirmed in an interview with The Hatchet in October that the department at the time armed only eight supervisory officers, and Associate Vice President of Campus Safety Katie McDonald said they did not have plans to arm additional officers at the time.
Officials concluded their controversial three-phased arming of the department in September 2024, when officials said they would arm 22 supervisory officers once they filled vacancies. The trustees’ 2023 decision to arm the police force was met with student protests, dissenting letters from faculty, criticism of the lack of community input from staff and faculty demands to see the data that backed their decision.
The release states that armed officer training includes implicit bias, mental health response, firearms, de-escalation and response protocols. GW community members’ feedback helped shape these training and other requirements during the arming process, according to the release.
A Hatchet investigation in September 2024 revealed that the University’s 2023 plan to arm officers was riddled with undisclosed gun safety violations and improper training, prompting a third-party investigation into the department and the resignation of former Chief James Tate. The third-party report found officials failed to seek community input regarding the arming rollout and recommended the department hire a designated training officer as well as arm all officers to “more adequately protect public safety.”
The release states continuous training opportunities remain a “priority” for the force, but Garbitt declined to comment on if a designated training officer has been hired.
Garbitt said on March 12 GWPD participated in a Campus Safety-led exercise that simulated an active threat incident at Tompkins Hall. She said Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire and Emergency Services officials also participated in the training.
Brito in October expressed openness to opening arms training to the public. Garbitt said the department is “exploring opportunities” to invite select community members to use the interactive simulator used in officer training and is working closely with Student Government Association President Ethan Lynne on this initiative.
