Volunteer School Defense Forces?

[cyphur]

I posted this opinion on my Facebook a while back, thought it would be interesting to gauge response here as well.

How many folks would volunteer a day a week, or 4 hours a day once or twice per week, to participate in a school watch program? Would you be willing to go through a full Federal background check, training from local LEOs, approval from school district, preliminary counseling screening? Would you do it if you could not carry anything more than a taser or pepper spray? Would you only participate if you could carry an ASP or a firearm? I ask, because I am sure each community would feel differently - as is their right.

This is the solution to the problem, ladies and gentleman. The local LEOs, for a multitude of reasons does not have the bandwidth or funding from most communities to put a full time team on each school. We cannot expect them to keep our children safe in this new day and age.

So - who is willing to stand up and help solve this problem? I guarantee after half a dozen school shootings are averted and the actor/s either end up six feet under or waiting on the death penalty to be carried out, the people who want to commit these heinous acts will find a softer target.

That, and classify mass public shootings acts of domestic terrorism that carries an implicit death penalty if found guilty. So we can put the money we save on the actor's life sentence can be put towards better use.

Time to take the responsibility of our community seriously and start putting boots on the ground to keep people safe again.



I would volunteer, and fund all of my own gear/training. I have the luxury of working largely from a home with a flex schedule. I realize not nearly everyone has that, but I would LOVE to see participation in this covered the same way as National Guard or First Responder programs. I would imagine anyone with a CHL would nearly immediately qualify, and while I know many here would vote against the psych counseling, I do not see something like this getting enacted without it.

So - thoughts?

[Crossfire]

Absolutely. And already signed up.

You should too! http://nraschoolshield.com/

[urnoodle]

I would most definitely volunteer as long as someone qualified could point me in the right direction for the appropriate training.

[Kadelic]

I've thought about this myself and would sign up in my community in a heart beat. I would welcome the opportunity for additional training and the chance to help keep our community and children safe.

[Thomas]

What is an "ASP"?

Yes, I would volunteer if it allowed me to carry my own concealed handgun. I enjoy volunteering and helping others out (see signature).

If it technically made me a peace officer according to the Texas Penal Code, then I would even pay for the training as it would allow me to carry other places where CHLs normally couldn't.

[Teamless]

then I would even pay for the training as it would allow me to carry other places where CHLs normally couldn't.

Interesting, I wonder if this would actually happen?

[Thomas]

then I would even pay for the training as it would allow me to carry other places where CHLs normally couldn't.

Interesting, I wonder if this would actually happen?

Only if the fist part of the sentence you quoted is true. I don't for one second think that having special permission to conceal carry on school property allows one to break the law elsewhere. If one only has permission to carry at a particular school (via a program), and that person breaks a gun-related law elsewhere, it only does a disservice to the program and every law-abiding participant of that program.

[RiverCity.45]

An ASP is one of those colllapsible batons that LE sometimes use.

I would not be willing to participate if only non-lethat weapons were permitted. I cannot see the point of bringing pepper spray to a gunfight.

[Thomas]

An ASP is one of those colllapsible batons that LE sometimes use.

I would not be willing to participate if only non-lethat weapons were permitted. I cannot see the point of bringing pepper spray to a gunfight.

Also, that would make you stand out as the "guard". If a mad person did choose your school, then you would probably be the first victim.

I wouldn't want to wear a uniform. I'm not there to intimidate children into compliance. I would hate for it to be a program where volunteers could have "power trips". The program should be set up that it would bore/discourage those people and only people who truly want to help would still want to continue with the program.

[The Annoyed Man]

I would volunteer if I could carry my gun. I'm in no physical condition to engage a foe with an ASP or spray or physical altercation. But I'm willing to sign up at the link that Crossfire provided to get more information.

[Crossfire]

I would most definitely volunteer as long as someone qualified could point me in the right direction for the appropriate training.

What did you not understand about this??? http://nraschoolshield.com/

Consider yourself pointed.

[geekwagun]

Absolutely. And already signed up.

You should too! http://nraschoolshield.com/

Done

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[urnoodle]

Maybe I did not state my comment as well as I could have. I completely understand Asa Hutchinson's plan. If schools actually choose to adopt the National School Shield, I would most definitely put my name in the hat for the selection process. Why should I wait until then? Why don't I start preparing now by taking additional firearm courses that will benefit me when the time arises. I realize the program is intended to train and it will build on the skill level I've already obtained. So I was merely saying if someone qualified (meaning familiar with NRA training requirements) could point me in the right direction, I'll start working on it now. In my opinion all education is good education whether it gets used or not.

[srothstein]

Might I point out that all of us can do this locally with no further action by the state or federal government. The post about peace officer status made me think about this. All we have to do is go to the local school board (probably talk with the superintendent first) and ask them to start a police reserve program for volunteers. If you live in a large district, the district probably already has a PD. If not, every school district in the state is authorized to start their own department. The school police are certified peace officers with full police powers. They can have paid full time, paid part time, or unpaid officers.

There is a hard part to this. You would need to go through full police training. The good news is that each of the local council of governments offers an academy. Most of them will teach an evening class so you can go through police training while still working your main job. This training will take you about a year going part time. The cost is usually in the $2500 range including tuition, fees, books, and equipment. You might save some of that if you have an acceptable pistol already.

And there are a lot of retired or former officers out there that would do this that are already certified. But it gives us an armed patrol force at almost no cost tot eh school district. Even if there is not an officer on campus all the time, the volunteers coming in when they can will deter some crime since no one would be able to plan in advance for the officer being there or not. It would be at least as much of a deterrent as random searches at airports are.

For the small schools who do not have their own police department, they can usually work something out with the local police department or constable's office to carry the commission of the volunteers. I see this as a win-win situation for people who want to help, schools who need protection, and police departments that need more manpower.

[JP171]

Steve

Remember that not everyone who has a CHL is eligible to be a LEO and that would make them a Police Officer and most likely used as such. this strikes me as different than what many want to do, many would volunteer time to sit and be a CHL holder in defense, but not want the problems associated with being a LEO( CE and so forth) Also I don't think that many of the departments will want to carry insurance on the extra people that would be considered to be "on the force". I know a few years back that a number of us attempted to get Galveston County to start an associate Fire Marshal program, all volunteer under one paid admin, the idea was rejected so Galveston County still calls Harris County if the one investigator is busy.