Armed Guards Sent to Patrol Schools in LA, Phoenix

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/armed-guards-sent-patrol-schools-la-phoenix-171345550--abc-news-topstories.html

By COLLEEN CURRY | ABC News – 8 hrs ago

Two of the country's largest counties will be sending armed guards to their schools beginning today as students head back to class after the holiday break.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona's Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and Tempe, sent a group of armed volunteers, known as his "volunteer posse," to patrol area schools today.

He had previously used the group to help bolster security at area malls during the heavy holiday shopping season, and to scope out undocumented immigrants living in the county.

Arpaio said it wasn't only the Newtown, Conn., school massacre on Dec.14 that convinced him to enlist his posse to patrol area schools -- a more local threat that resulted in the Dec. 20 arrest of a 16-year-old student at Red Mountain High School in Mesa for a plot to bomb the school and shoot the students and faculty also persuaded him.

"She did admit that she was going to blow up the school and shoot people in the school, and that sort of got me more interested in schools that are opening today," Arpaio told ABC News. "The posse was finishing their assignment after Christmas, so why not utilize those resources to patrol the perimeter of schools?"

More than 500 volunteers will help to patrol the county's 52 schools, along with members of the sheriff's Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT, team when they are not performing their regular duties, along with police dog units, Arpaio said. The volunteers will receive 100 hours of training and drive marked vehicles. In some cases, they will be armed with automatic weapons, he said.

"I believe we should put police officers in school, in uniform, armed," Arpaio said. "But so far all the politicians do is talk, talk, talk, and so we're out there doing something."

Police officers in Los Angeles County are also taking action as more than a dozen law enforcement agencies increase patrols in area public schools beginning today.

"Every division has deployed officers to the actual schools," said Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Andy Neiman. "We'll have officers at every single elementary school this morning as children arrive with parents, and they'll be there for departure at the close of schools today."

Neiman said that officers will show up at schools throughout Los Angeles throughout the day to make sure students, faculty and parents are aware of their presence.

"It's a reassurance in response to what occurred in Newtown. This is one thing that the leadership here in Los Angeles got together, and Chief Charlie Beck decided he wanted to reassure our community that our kids and schools are safe. We're putting police officers there so they can be seen," Neiman said.

The beefed-up presence will continue for an "indefinite" amount of time, he said. Officers will also patrol any private schools that request extra security, according to ABC News station KABC.

"We just want to monitor them a little bit closer," said Sgt. Michael Arriaga, spokesman for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. "We're going to have an increased presence and instruct our personnel that if nothing serious is pending, then kind of as a routine they should make their presence known."

Kim Amer, a parent, told KABC. "I think more security will make people feel better. Right now, when these types of things are going on, you can't have too much security."

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Wasn't there an armed deputy at Columbine?

[aaydrian 479]

What about the malls, supermarkets, theatres or even the streets? Aren't kids found in those places too? What about the protection of people not in school?

[Bumbero 130]

It's a great start. Kudos to them for their effort.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/21/nra-chief-urges-armed-guards-in-every-school-dismisses-calls-for-gun-control/

Published December 21, 2012 FoxNews.com

NRA chief urges armed guards in 'every single school'

Edited January 8, 2013 by Bad_Daddy

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Wasn't there an armed deputy at Columbine?

Yeah, I think he ran into one of them and fired a few rounds missing. They ran off, and I believe he thought they were going outside whereas they ran deeper into the school?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Yeah, I think he ran into one of them and fired a few rounds missing. They ran off, and I believe he thought they were going outside whereas they ran deeper into the school?

I thought so.

[Bumbero 130]

Yeah, I think he ran into one of them and fired a few rounds missing. They ran off, and I believe he thought they were going outside whereas they ran deeper into the school?

I think he in his patrol car when the shooting started. He was taking a break or something when the shooting started.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I think he in his patrol car when the shooting started. He was taking a break or something when the shooting started.

BRB, I'll google it.

Back -

"As Gardner stepped out of his patrol car, Eric Harris turned his attention from shooting into the west doors of the high school to the student parking lot and to the deputy. Gardner, particularly visible in the bright yellow shirt of the community resource officer uniform, was the target of Harris' bullets.

After the exchange of gunfire, Harris ran back into the building. Gardner was able to get on the police radio and called for assistance from other Sheriff's units. "Shots in the building. I need someone in the south lot with me."

Gardner could also hear gunshots coming from inside the building but he did not know who else was shooting, how many were in the school or where."

Edited January 8, 2013 by Usui Takumi

[Penny Lane 8,159]

The more guns the better. We should have armed guards everywhere. Preschools, elementary schools, high schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, churches. All of the above.

[Bumbero 130]

BRB, I'll google it.

Back -

"As Gardner stepped out of his patrol car, Eric Harris turned his attention from shooting into the west doors of the high school to the student parking lot and to the deputy. Gardner, particularly visible in the bright yellow shirt of the community resource officer uniform, was the target of Harris' bullets.

After the exchange of gunfire, Harris ran back into the building. Gardner was able to get on the police radio and called for assistance from other Sheriff's units. "Shots in the building. I need someone in the south lot with me."

Gardner could also hear gunshots coming from inside the building but he did not know who else was shooting, how many were in the school or where."

That's what I thought. I remember watching the dramatization on Discovery Channel or something.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Why not just eliminate the schools all together? The internets can teach our children all they need to know.

[Bumbero 130]

Why not just eliminate the schools all together? The internets can teach our children all they need to know.

Yeah! Because they don't need the social skills they learn from actually interacting with other students. Also, the US already has an epidemic of obesity, kids sitting at home on the "internets" is a great way to solve this issue as well.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Bumbero

[scotinmass 588]

Yeah! Because they don't need the social skills they learn from actually interacting with other students. Also, the US already has an epidemic of obesity, kids sitting at home on the "internets" is a great way to solve this issue as well.

Better to be fat than shot in the head. Let's keep all our kids at home so we can guard them ourselves. We need more guns!

Edited January 8, 2013 by scotinmass

[Bumbero 130]

Better to be fat than shot in the head.

Yep! Let juvenile diabetes kill the kids instead! Then early onset of heart disease.