Students who carry weapons on campus – even paintball guns, BB guns or slingshots – will be arrested and charged, according to a campus-wide e-mail sent by University Police Tuesday evening.

“I send a message to students every fall to inform them of the policy,” said University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson. “Some students think certain sporting goods are OK on campus, but not knowing the law and making a mistake is not a defense.”

Last year, 16 students were arrested on firearm or weapon possession charges.

The University’s policy mirrors state laws, which prohibits using, possessing, manufacturing, distributing, maintaining, transporting or receiving any weapon on campus or at University-sponsored events. Students, employees or visitors who violate the policy will be arrested.

“We show no discretion with arrests. There is no reason for weapons to be on campus,” Williamson said. “But a felony charge is serious, so I send the e-mail each year to be informative and proactive.”

Firearms, weapons and explosives included in the policy are paintball guns, BB guns, potato guns, air soft guns, clubs, nunchaku, machine guns, sawed-off shotguns or rifles, biological weapons, poison gases and hoax devices such as fake bombs or explosive packages.

“Most cases don’t involve malicious intent, but Georgia has one of the toughest possession laws in the 50 states, and it can affect people’s lives,” Williamson said.

Under the policy, students are not exempt if they carry a valid firearm or concealed weapon permit. However, he said, University employees and visitors are exempt if the weapon is legal to possess under a firearm permit and is kept in a locked compartment of a motor vehicle, usually the glove compartment.

“It is a Constitutional right to carry a weapon to and from your place of business, but it cannot be removed from your vehicle, which is an extension of the home,” Williamson said.

“As a student, you choose to be here, and it is a privilege.”

Under Georgia law, campus police officers are not prohibited from carrying weapons on campus. More information about the policy can be found on the University Web site at www.police.uga.edu/weapons.