SAFETY ALERT....
For anyone attending the Mobile Field Force Operations class at UIC. Be advised that a bureaucratic tactician, in his or her infinite wisdom, has decided that all participants, including instructors, should be unarmed. Also, the facility is unsecured. Anyone can walking into the facility at any given time. I'm not sure why this training isn't being conducted at a secured police facility. Kinda of funny that they would have a "law enforcement sensitive" training open to the public and at the home of Bill Ayers and other radical student groups. Just remember, shit happens anywhere, even on a university campus. Just remember...Va Tech, Univ of Iowa and Univ of Texas. So, do what I did and make sure you have that back up weapon on you or accessible.
We're also aware that during training, accidents can happen, so securing firearms is usually a good idea. But to disarm instructors? You've just created an overly target rich environment without any chance for defense. At least the doors were locked at Near North. Even the old School Violence drills held at various high schools back in the day had armed police riding along at all stages, dressed as "out-of-play" but armed with radios and guns in case something bad happened.