MADISON, Wis. -- In light of the recent violence in the campus and downtown areas, student safety has become a hot-button issue, and a new campus group said it has a solution: concealed carry.

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The group is called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. It's a national organization with 25,000 members. The University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter formed in the last few weeks, WISC-TV reported.

The group said that putting guns in the hands of responsible, licensed citizens will make the UW-Madison campus, as a whole, a safer place.

UW-Madison Police said they've exchanged e-mails with a member of the group, but have yet to meet face to face. Police said allowing guns on campus wouldn't make anyone feel safer.

"It's good that people are talking about it, because it makes them realize that there are things they can do to make themselves feel safe," said Dale Burke, UW-Madison assistant police chief. "I don't believe that carrying a gun is one of those things."

UW-Madison chapter president Bret Bostwick declined an on-camera interview with WISC-TV -- he said the group is too new to express its views to the public.

"Laws against concealed carry don't stop criminals from carrying guns. Criminals don't obey the law. The law instead prevents good, trained people from being able to protect themselves and other innocent people. There is absolutely no evidence that demonstrates a campus would be less safe from concealed carry," Bostwick said in a written statement.

In the few weeks since the UW-Madison chapter started up, more than 200 people have signed on. Madison Area Technical College also has a concealed carry chapter.