St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch and police officers will begin visiting St. Louis County schools Monday morning, according to KMOV.
(For instant updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.)
Fitch said he's received numerous calls from area schools concerned about security since Friday's mass shooting in a Newtown, CT elementary school.
Fitch acknowledges that most high schools and some middle schools, including those in West County, have armed school resource officers.
However, elementary schools are not normally protected by officers. Fitch wants to see armed resource officers or armed school officials in those schools, according to KSDK.
He points out that Sandy Hook Elementary School conducted threat drills and locked its doors once class started, but that did not stop suspected shooter Adam Lanza from gunning down 20 children and six women Friday.
St. Louis area schools also lock their doors when class starts and conduct threat drills. However, this week, Fitch plans to meet with school officials throughout the county to discuss increasing security at schools even more.
His proposal includes putting guns in the schools, particularly the elementary schools. He said the weapons would remain locked up with trained staff members having access to them in an emergency.
What do you think about Chief Fitch's proposal? Do you have a better suggestion? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
A discussion today.. it was about how we need to stop searching for answers on WHY the gunman killed people. He was a madman, and that is that. People who commit such crimes are sick people and that is what it is. We need to focus on protection because there will be more sick people committing more such crimes. Many people cite all these other countries who do arm people in their schools. They point out that there are mentally ill people in those countries too and those mentally ill people have access to guns, but school shootings don't happen there like they do here because students are protected by armed officials in their buildings. Chief Fitch also cited that info during his interview on this topic. He also said these people are essentially terrorists and the one goal of a terrorist is to accomplish their mission. If they feel they cannot complete their mission, which is a mass killing, it may act as a deterrent. What do you think? Is it time to arm school officials or does that put guns in the hands of someone in the school building who could be just as dangerous?
to put a loaded weapon even in a lock box is looking for trouble big time in a school sitting-i would have no problems with more police officers and even volunteers at school patroling hallways would be a better choice but no more guns-please!!!!!!!!
Who would you rather have looking over your children? A teacher who had one background check 20 yrs ago prior to employment, or one with a ccw that gets a background check every day? Not shure how your state does it, but most states do daily background checks on ccw holders.
can't talk about that, well just keep pushing the same failed policys and when the next tragedy strikes well all breath a sigh of relief that it wasn't us. You opponents should be ashamed of yourselvs. Your ideas have failed the to save the innocent from madmen with wicked, lawless intent. God bless those children, god bless the victims and god bless their families.
I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love. I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate...
Take the Mehlville School District for example, 10,000 students and 1200 employees. 1200 guns in school? No thank you. That's just nuts. There has never been a school shooting as long as a full-time armed security guard or police officer was on site. It's as simple as that. Let the teachers teach and the security forces secure. Most importantly, give them both the money needed to do their jobs most effectively.
If the school staff had been armed the shooter wouldn't have killed soo many or none. I see no reason why the staff shouldn't be able to protect the children, just look at how many lost there lifes trying to protect them without a weapon and IF they were armed things might have worked out different with less dying or possibly none other the the crazy shooter. Its time to think safty for the children and teachers too.
There isn't an ideal answer to this problem. Knee-jerk reactions are not what we need. Just throwing this out there, but what about teaching school staff and students self-defense? That would help fulfill PE requirements and it would at least give somewhat a sense of power. At least they wouldn't all feel so helpless. And maybe as a group they could thwart an attacker. Of course, they would need to be taught that they should use these skills cautiously.