MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- Gov. Janet Napolitano has signed a bill into law that will prohibit any government body from telling state-certified police officers they can't carry a gun.

Currently, district policy doesn't allow certified officers who patrol Maricopa County community colleges to carry guns.

"We felt extremely vulnerable because we have gun instances all the time," said Lynn Bray, acting director of security at Mesa Community College and a 20-year Mesa police officer. "I've taken concealed weapons off people all the time."

Last Friday, a possible gunman threatened to shoot up the campus' gymnasium, police said.

"It's quite ridiculous. Why hire police officers if you're not going to give them the tools to do their job?," Bray said.

Arming police officers is just one change coming to the community colleges.

Bray said MCC has spent the past six months implementing a phone system that can convert telephones into loudspeakers with the push of a button.

The system could be activated to warn the campus of emergencies. Within the next year, Bray said officials will also create a loudspeaker system for common areas and install electronic bulletin boards for the hearing impaired.

While Arizona State University does not have loudspeakers, officials on the Tempe campus would use e-mail, television screens and police officers to notify students of a disaster.

"At ASU, you have to look at us as a little town," said James Hardina, ASU's commander of operations. "We use the same methods as a city, such as how they would notify the community that a tornado is coming."

Hardina said ASU officials also are working on a system that would send cell phone text messages to students.

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Information from: East Valley Tribune/Scottsdale Tribune, http://www.aztrib.com

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