Armed police officers in schools. We already have them here.

[DLine]

PLEASE don't take this as an endorsement of the NRA or Wayne Ladouche. Wake county in NC is the largest school district in the state and the 16th largest in the country. Wake already has an armed police officer assigned to every middle and high school. They have had them for almost 15 years now. My brother in law is a middle school principle in Wake county and he has been thankful for having the School Resource Officer on campus. The officer serves as more than just armed security. He talks with students and takes an interest in what they are up to, especially those who may be headed down the wrong path. Students know they can talk to him. When needed, the school resource officer is on hand just in case an unruly student has to be physically restrained or removed from a classroom. Its unfortunate such is needed, but it happens a lot.

I know others are really criticizing the idea. But for me having gone to a high school with a full time police officer on duty and my brother in law being a principle in the same system, it seems to be a very positive thing, at least here. It may not be a nation wide solution. But I think its worth considering.

[Glitterati]

1. Resource officers here as well

But, they are NOT armed.

Let me put it this way - there is no gun for the kids to see.

on edit:
I do NOT agree with armed officers in school. These cops are in schools for one reason - drug interdiction.

[DLine]

2. If they are actual cops, its probably concealed

The SRO's here are in full police uniform including side arm.

[Glitterati]

3. Drugs are their sole purpose

No arms.

[madfloridian]

12. Resource officers here are armed.

Visibly so.

[Auntie Bush]

4. Are they willing to double up on the tax on the rich to afford armed school guards? Or...

Do they think we should cut more people off food stamps and Medicare etc. to pay those armed guards? Someone would have to pay.

[DLine]

5. Thats moving beyond the point of my thread.

I don't know how it would be paid for or any of that. Im just saying based on my experience attending a high school with an SRO and my brother in law being a principle in the district, its not necessarily a bad thing or some crazy idea that a police officer be on campus.

[former9thward]

6. Armed security would be a drop in the bucket for the budget of most school districts.

Especially if off duty police were used. Their primary employer would be providing benefits and the school would just have to pay the wages.

[Auntie Bush]

7. So say we arm the schools...what about the movie theaters, Malls, sports events etc.?

They would all fall pray to the gun nuts if we don't get rid of the big guns. Where do you stop? Sounds like the wild West...but in 2013. Wow! Think of all the money gun manufactures, gun sellers and NRA can make. Hmmm, I just wonder if money has anything to do with opposing sensible gun regulation?

[former9thward]

8. The good is not the enemy of the perfect.

You do what you can and BTW every sporting event I go to has security. You wish to get rid of "big guns". I don't know what that means but we are not going to get rid of guns. We do need to protect ourselves against pychos. Anyone willing to kill children and kill themselves will find some way to attempt to do it. Just yesterday at a H.S. near me a 16 year old girl was arrested for putting a you tube video up saying she was going to bomb the school and kill as many as possible. Her parents said she "had some issues". Yeah I guess she did.

[Auntie Bush]

13. As it is now...many teachers have to use their own money for supplies and also snacks etc.

I don't think there is money to support a policeman at each school. Any killer would know just where he is and enter at a different place or just kill him before anyone even knew he was being stalked by a potential killer. They would be useless against automatic weapons.

[former9thward]

14. Automatic weapons have not been used in any of these killings.

I am unaware of automatic weapons being used in any killings since the 1930s. As far as money I suggest taking the names of all of the school administrators and pick one from the hat. Get rid of that person and use the money for security. The school will not suffer one bit. If it is so easy to "just kill him" then we should get rid of guards everyplace. Because clearly they are useless if that logic is true.

[Auntie Bush]

15. Sorry...you knew what I meant. Should I have semi-automatic?

[former9thward]

17. I am not trying to be nit picky.

The use of the two terms has created much confusion in the gun control debate. Automatic weapons can fire out bullets continuously with one trigger pull. They have been banned since the 1930s and no one in the gun debate, including the NRA, suggests they become legal. (It is possible to obtain an automatic weapon but you have to get a federal license, pay a hefty tax and it is highly regulated. These weapons have never been used in any mass killings and generally only professional gun collectors have them.)

Semi-automatics shoot bullets one at a time with each trigger pull. The only automatic thing about them is that they load a new bullet into the chamber as soon as you shoot one out. In terms of firing they are no different than a revolver. Many argue and I agree that we should limit the amount of bullets available in magazines. I see no reason for magazines that have 30 bullets in them. That being said it will not solve the problem. These disturbed (to put it mildly) individuals are very creative and if they have it in their mind to do mass killings they will figure out some way to do it. I favor aggressive mental health intervention (not currently legal) and stepped up armed security in so-called "gun-free' areas.

[LeftInTX]

9. Armed police at schools here

San Antonio

No big deal

I think the main issue for some districts are costs.

I'm not sure how the police are distributed within the elementary campuses however. High school/middle school have an active duty cop at all times. I'm not sure about elementary schools.

[spanone]

10. it's insanity.

[Doremus]

11. BTDT too.

Too much square feet to be of any real assistance in an emergency. The odds that the security officer will be in the right place at the right time, and not 3 hallways over or someplace else, are pretty slim.

His presence makes folks feel more secure but that's about it.

[JaneyVee]

16. We have school safety officers here in NYC. They help with fights too. Here's what they do

they sit in NYPD vans outside of the schools at the entrance on the street. They are their own branch of NYPD, 'school safety'.

[rainlillie]

18. " it seems to be a very positive thing"

There's an officer stationed at my nephews school too. He is very friendly with the students and has talked to them to keep their problems from escalating.