Florida Program Arming and Training Civilians to Battle School Shooters

[babylonsister]

DON’T SHOOT
Florida Program Arming and Training Civilians to Battle School Shooters
Instructors who’ve trained SWAT members are now teaching normal civilians how to guard schools in case of an active shooter. The so-called guardians will be armed on campuses.
Elisha Brown
06.13.18 4:59 PM ET


The sheriff’s office in Polk County, Florida, is training a troupe of armed “guardians,” or regular civilians, to protect students during the upcoming school year—a program that some critics find troubling.

“Formal officers trained to specific standards should be the law enforcement presence in schools if there’s going to be one,” Secure Schools Alliance Executive Director Robert Boyd told The Daily Beast. “You don’t just take anybody and put them in a school, particularly with a firearm.”

One of the masterminds behind the program, Sheriff Grady Judd, is an unabashed gun-rights supporter—and an outspoken critic of illegal immigration, among other hot-button issues. He was one of 12 sheriffs to meet with President Donald Trump, whom he’s called the “best ally” of law enforcement, in February.

Judd insists the civilian guardians will be well-trained—and more cost-effective than school resource officers. Potential guardians must complete background checks, psychological evaluations, and drug tests during the training process, according to the Polk County’s Sheriff Office. Over 500 people applied for the program, but only 150 people made it to the training portion, Judd told News 6.

more...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/florida-program-arming-and-training-civilians-to-battle-school-shooters?ref=home

[Hoyt]

1. George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn types will be the first to sign up. Jeeez. n/t

[MiniMe]

2. What could possibly go wrong?