The shooting deaths of three faculty members in 1996 validated the training and general approach to campus security of San Diego State University security personnel. Because of their training and confidence in firearm use, the officers involved did not overreact, thus preventing escalation of an already tragic incident. In addition, the incident emphasized the importance of zero tolerance. The university, with only 23 sworn officers to oversee an urban campus with 30,000 students, has had to be creative in how it hires, trains, and deploys officers. The article describes these practices in detail, including good team building and strong liaison with law enforcement. The article also discusses program reevaluations in light of the shootings and some campus experiences since the incident. Academic institutions cannot provide sanctuary from the violence all around them, but they can go a long way toward providing a safe campus by instituting awareness training for students and faculty, coupled with zero tolerance of any threatening behavior.