In response to the latest school shooting in Nashville, state Sen. Mike Regan (R-Cumberland / York) is proposing a solution.
No, it’s not an “assault weapons” ban as forwarded by fellow Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks).
Rather, Regan wants to place at least one armed officer in all publicly funded schools.
His legislative co-sponsorship memoranda states that his aim is “to enhance the protection of our children by implementing a security presence in all publicly funded schools.”
Regan’s proposal calls for at least one armed, trained, and vetted school security officer – described as a school police officer, school resource officer or school security guard as defined in the state’s Education Code.
He says that “school safety personnel will undergo background investigations, be required to maintain certification, and be annually certified in position-specific training.
The chair of the Senate’s Law & Justice Committee, Regan has a law enforcement background, previously serving as a member of the U.S. Marshals Service. He was nominated by President George W. Bush in 2002 to become the U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania where he served for 23 years.
“My perspective on this issue comes from my law enforcement career, in which part of my responsibilities was to secure federal courthouses. I have also relied on other credentialed experts in the field of school and building security as I crafted legislative proposals over the years, and they have all said with uniformity that the hiring of trained and vetted armed officers should be every school’s first step when implementing security measures. But still, many have not.”
According to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, there were 2,069 school shootings between January 1970 and June 2022.
The K-12 School Shooting Database shows that there have been 1,000 shootings at schools since the start of 2018. This figure includes when a gun is brandished, is fired, or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time, or day of the week.
“The time has come for all to recognize that this is a must in today’s world,” he concluded.
Loading ...
2 Responses
If have armed guards no matter how well intended strutting around grade schools and high schools, the symbolism is that we have given into a police state. Children need to be protected but they also need to not be imprisoned. Security procedures can include bullet proof glass in all doors at the school. The killer in the recent school shot through the glass. Funding for security outside schools to spot potential intruders. I realize all suggestions are expensive but the front door have bullet proof glass seems worth considering.
By the time the guard get to the scene of the shooting the rapid fire AR 15 would have claimed many victims.