Formulating a plan — Albany County School District 1 considers policy allowing concealed carry on campuses
LARAMIE — The Albany County School District 1 Board of Trustees recently approved the first of three readings for a new policy that would allow employees and volunteers to carry concealed firearms on school property. The vote for policy was unanimous.
The policy, developed in response to House Bill 172, “Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments” sets forth eligibility requirements, training standards, documentation procedures and storage guidelines for authorized individuals.
The Wyoming Legislature set an implementation date of July 1 for the school districts in the state.
“The Policy and Governance Committee has met several times about this particular topic. With us is (Patrol Lieutenant Taun) Smith from the Laramie Police Department,” ACSD1 Chief Human Resource Officer Nathan Cowper said during the May 14 board meeting. “He met with us in our policy and governance committee meeting last week and he sent us some information regarding the training requirements for law enforcement. The Policy and Governance Committee felt that reviewing those would be very important because those are the standards that they must pass in order to become law enforcement officers. I think the most important item in this policy is the training and curriculum requirements for employees.”
The policy currently outlines 47 hours of live-fire handgun training and 16 hours of scenario-based instruction using nonlethal firearms. This is in accordance with Wyoming State Statutes 6-8-105 (f) (ii)(A) & (B).
“There are specific procedures for the documentation of these things,” Cowper said. “That includes how we would go about ensuring an employee is trained, instructor and trainer qualifications and several other provisions. I do want to make it clear that this applies to the concealed carry of firearms. Open carry is prohibited or would be prohibited under this law.”
Trustee Nate Martin added: “We had that big community forum (April 9) and we heard a lot of ideas and a lot of concerns about aspects of the policy. When we sat down as the Policy and Governance Committee to tackle it and actually write a policy, we realized that there were some things that we could address in the policy itself and other things that didn’t make sense to put in a policy. We can still adopt them as practices and procedures that we do, but don’t need to put in a policy.”
ACSD1 Policy 5050 requires applicants to hold a valid Wyoming concealed carry permit, complete extensive training, and maintain self-defense liability insurance or a legal defense membership. To remain eligible, individuals must complete 18 hours of additional training each year.
While on school district campuses, firearms must be carried in a Duty Rated Level III retention holster or in a locked, biometric container or lock box under the individual’s control.
Martin wondered how Cowper will handle the vetting and enforcement of the policy.
“I think all of the criteria are, I won’t say easy to achieve, but I think I could determine whether someone has met them,” Cowper responded. “I looked at what other school districts in the state are doing. Many have similar requirements for what this training must include, and I tried to capture the heart of what we discussed and incorporate those elements.
“That being said, it gives me some trepidation to be the one who ultimately stamps someone and says, ‘you can carry a gun in school,’” he added. “I think a serious conversation needs to happen about whether it would be beneficial for me to go through a course. Not to carry a gun, but to better understand what’s required.”
Trustee Carrie Murthy clarified that policy only regulated employees and volunteers, not the general public.
“The law does not provide us any opportunity to regulate members of the public really in any way, shape or form,” Cowper said. “Could we regulate members of the public’s access to the building? Yes. Obviously, we’re banning open carry of firearms, nobody can open carry a firearm in the district.”
This story was published on May 29, 2025.
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