At a time when “active shooter drills” are common practice at campuses across the country, Dean College, outside Boston, has chosen to get rid of its police force altogether, leaving its students to feel more vulnerable than ever.

It seems like a very strange move, until you dig just a little bit into it -- one workday before they were fired, Dean’s 18-person Public Safety Department informed the college of their intent to unionize. And just like that, the college announced plans to replace them with a private security firm.

This is management abuse, and it puts the students’ safety at risk. Not to mention that these officers, some of whom had worked for Dean for 15 years, were dropped heartlessly, without even the kindness of a clear explanation, one week before Christmas.  As a proud alum of Dean College, I find this deeply troubling.

Please join me in calling on the Dean College president and Board of Trustees to rehire these Public Safety officers and allow them to unionize. Now, in the wake of gruesome attacks and school threats, is not the time to mess with students’ safety.

Most of the Public Safety Department officers were active and retired police officers and firefighters, with extensive training.The private security firm, on the other hand, wouldn’t have the authority to make arrests, or the training to respond to an active shooter situation. They would rely on the town’s police department, draining taxpayers’ money, and officers’ time and resources, not to mention wasting valuable, potentially life-saving minutes in the case of a real emergency.

The students of Dean have always trusted our campus police. They treated us like adults. We knew we could count on them to be here for us and guide us, sit with us after we drank too much, and help us in our darkest hours. The students of Dean College need them now more than ever -- the announcement to terminate them came on the heels of two reports of sexual assault on campus. We need real, trusted professionals dealing with this crisis, not some newbie hired hands.

Lawyers are working to determine if the college illegally interfered with the organization of a union. A decision is expected soon, and the issue could go to federal court. But, given the outpouring of support for these officers and the student protest and upset over their termination, the college should choose to do the right thing now and rehire them. They are trustworthy, they have become our friends, and Dean students need them now more than ever.

Please call on Dean College President Dr. Paula Rooney and the Board of Trustees to rehire the officers of Dean’s Public Safety Department immediately.