Enforcement of a gun-free zone around Downtown’s Science Museum falls to university police, not the Lafayette Police Department, the Boulet administration announced Friday.
The decision parries a political controversy. LPD first issued notice of the gun-free zone last week, but officials say the university sought the designation in light of Louisiana’s permitless carry law. School zones signs have been posted around university facilities.
State officials, led by Attorney General Liz Murrill and Sen. Blake Miguez, R-Lafayette, publicly pressured Lafayette not to enforce the zone, arguing the Science Museum is not covered as a school zone. UL operates the museum, but the facility is owned by the City of Lafayette.
Proximity to schools and private property means much of Lafayette is off limits for Louisiana’s new permitless carry rules, including virtually all of Downtown Lafayette.
Were the Science Museum zone enforced, virtually all of Downtown Lafayette would be off-limits to the permitless carry law. Permits are still required within the 1000-foot buffers created by school safety zones.
“To make clear, LPD’s role on each of UL campus facilities in the city of Lafayette will continue in a support role when called upon by the University,” LCG officials said in a release. “LPD’s enforcement efforts will remain unchanged in the Downtown area.”