School security is best left to officers, not teachers, says TPS police chief

[Poke78]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/arti...rticleid=20130215_11_A7_ULNSbk833871&allcom=1

Rarely is a school shooter or dangerous intruder unknown to the staff, he said.

If teachers are allowed to pull a gun, they will know that student's family, struggles to make friends, hardships at home, mental-health challenges and even the triumphs and happy times.

"The teacher will hesitate to shoot. I will not," Rudick said. "What will you do when there is a dead child on the ground? Let it be the police officer to go home that night and drop his head in his hands and weep. Let it be the police officer to have nightmares or have the public scrutiny afterward.

"Let the teachers teach."

The grim reality of a shoot-to-kill mindset ingrained in law enforcement training is not being talked about, Rudick said.

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I find this to be another chapter of leaving all self-defense in the hands of specialists. I reject that notion.

 

[Glocktogo]

First, his "teachers don't have cops shoot-to-kill mentality" is scary. I'd sure hope he's teaching his officers to shoot to stop, not "shoot-to-kill". As for the mentality required to stop lethal criminal assaults, plenty of "non-cops" have that, as proven by many citizen involved self-defense shootings.

"Providing trained officers in each Tulsa building would more than double the district's police budget, from about $3 million to $7 million." And add to his little empire is what they forgot to mention.

If TPS doesn't want armed employees, so be it. They should not be interfering with the wishes of other school districts.

I gould go on, but so much fail, so little time...

 

[CoachR64]

If only teaching was all we did is teaches! That would be awesome!

I don't care if it is a kid I know or a random stranger (such as Adam Lanza) with a gun, I will not hesitate to protect my students from evil. I have a protection mindset, which is part of my love for working with kids. When someone is trying to gun them down, the last thing crossing my mind will be "but his home life is so bad!".

I teach, but anyone that thinks that is all I do is smoking some potent stuff. I am at times the only discipline a student sees. I'm a sounding board for problems. Im a mediator. I'm a $5 bill for gas money to get home. I've watched a student convulse in my arms from an overdosed due to some bad drugs he got a hold of. I've comforted kids at the death of a dear friend. I've opened my house to a student who's mom was in prison and dad died of brain cancer. I'm also a protector.

If you don't think I have the mindset and ability to due whatever it takes to protect those kids I love, you need to spend some time my shoes Mr police chief.

 

[okiebryan]

You just have to love it when an OPINION based in exactly zero fact becomes newsworthy, just because it came from the mouth of a police officer.

Know what they say about opinions? Well, cop opinions are not an exception.

 

[okiebryan]

First, his "teachers don't have cops shoot-to-kill mentality" is scary. I'd sure hope he's teaching his officers to shoot to stop, not "shoot-to-kill". As for the mentality required to stop lethal criminal assaults, plenty of "non-cops" have that, as proven by many citizen involved self-defense shootings.

"Providing trained officers in each Tulsa building would more than double the district's police budget, from about $3 million to $7 million." And add to his little empire is what they forgot to mention.

If TPS doesn't want armed employees, so be it. They should not be interfering with the wishes of other school districts.

I gould go on, but so much fail, so little time...

I knew we could count on you to follow the money... Where do so many police officers get this elitist mentality? Better question...why are you different?