From washingtonpost.com:
Republicans in the House of Delegates, responding to the mass shooting last week at a Connecticut elementary school, are working on legislation to provide funding for armed officers at Virginia elementary schools.
The measure would expand an existing school resource officer grant program, now mostly used for high schools and middle schools, GOP leaders in the House said Thursday.
“Today, we are announcing our intent to expand funding for a school resource officer grant program to encourage the creation of school resource officer positions in Virginia elementary schools,” Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said in a written statement. “This is a critical step toward making sure all of our schools are as safe as possible.
“We must look closely at everything we can to make sure our children, schools and communities are safe,” he said. “This includes evaluating school safety, our mental health laws and services, and our gun laws.”
The current program was created with middle and high schools in mind, although some elementaries have sought and obtained grants for officers at their campuses. The legislation would provide additional funding and would focus more on elementaries.
“Today, 80 percent of Virginia’s high schools and middle schools have full-time school resource officers,” said Beverly J. Sherwood (R-Frederick), who chairs a House Appropriations subcommittee on public safety. “Unfortunately, only about 25 percent of elementary schools have assigned school resource officers, many of which serve multiple schools. The expansion of this program will encourage the hiring of full-time school resource officers in Virginia elementary schools.”
Good plan but localities cannot be asked to pay for this expenditure. They are strapped enough already. The cost to round out SROs in PWC would probably be between $10-15 Million per start up and a little less in years after. Granted, PWC is the second largest county in Virginia but that gives us an idea of what the cost would be.
The people of Virginia have to look at what the program would involve and assess what situations a SRO would be able to handle. One armed officer can only be so many places at once. As we react to horror around the nation, we need to be careful not to commit to costly knee jerk reactions that really don’t do what we intend for them to do.
Any time school resource officers are put in schools, that is an officer who is not on the street. New officers would have to be hired and trained to replace those officers who go into the school setting. Hiring untrained officers for these positions would be unacceptable. According to the website, Prince William currently has 15 SROs. They have 91 schools. There isn’t even an SRO for each middle and high school–all part of last year’s cut back.
What if the plan was not to use trained police officers? What if the plan was to hire “security officers?” That would be a lot less expensive and a lot less reliable. “Security officers” simply do not have the training that a sworn police officer has. It might be a good idea to have the delegates spell out exactly what they are talking about.
I think it would be wonderful to have a School Resource Officer in every school but I am just not sure that we can afford the luxury. The question then becomes, can we afford to NOT have them? This endeavour will take some major ponying up on the part of the taxpayers. I don’t see it happening without a big fight. People will still want to go on the cheap and arm the teachers which simply isn’t acceptable. If the teachers wanted to pack heat they would have become police officers. 2 different skills sets are involved.
Please provide approved sites to obtain statistics on weapons. I use Bureau of Justice Statistics, B of Labor Statistics, DOJ, FBI-crime in the US. Since most of the numbers cover the first 8 -10 years of the 2000 – do you think they’re okay or have they been tainted by a Democratic President for the two year period?
As long as BIG BAD FEDERAL GOVERNMENT hasn’t manipulated those statistics in order to assert their mind control over us and turn us into mindless zombies thereby forcing us into compliance with the one world order, I would think those sources are very sound and the most accurate available.
@BSinVA
Yet their overall crime rates, murder rates, and suicide rates either went up or stayed the same.
The US ranks halfway down the scale in homicide rates among nations. Our violent crime rate is less than many European nations.
@Censored bybvbl
Is it this fear of the “other” that drives gun ownership or hoarding?
No.
Why do you ask?
@Lyssa
And even more guns are used to protect family. Very few are actually used against the owner.
Kellerman’s study was debunked.
@BSinVA Maybe you should tell us. Kindly provide your statistics and sources that tell us who is doing most of the gun-related killing in the US, and who their victims tend to be, especially in the urban areas where gun crime is the most prevalent. Let’s talk unflinchingly about age, gender, country of origin, gang ties and immigration status And let’s also look very seriously at how mental health issues are treated in the US. Then maybe we can have an honest and intelligent conversation about cause and effect that doesn’t involve your lame deflections and simplistic, Wikipedia-based cause-and-effect analysis of aggregate population and legal ownership.
@Emma
What did you imply by your Wiki quote?
Not according to what I’m reading (Fareed Zakaria). Our overall violent crime rates are about the same as other developed countries, our gun-related deaths far exceed all other developed countries. Cargo, if you will allow me, I think you are always going to lose the statistics based arguments if you are against any and all gun controls. You may want to turn your attention more toward Moon’s proposition involving graduated controls of fire arms meaning simple registration with background checks for all guns, then maybe required safety training for all fire arms other than bolt action single shot weapons, then maybe annual registration for higher capacity weapons, then maybe something else for assault weapons. Remember the dead children.
@Censored bybvbl That there are other factors that come into play besides raw numbers of legally-owned guns. That correlation does not necessarily imply causation with such limited data. Why don’t you tell us what you wanted me to mean?
@Emma
You cited the Wiki info. It’s yours to explain.
“Remember the dead children.”
Really?
I think you are always going to lose the statistics based arguments if you are against any and all gun controls.
I don’t think so, if you use all the statistics instead of just the “gun crime” statistics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196941/The-violent-country-Europe-Britain-worse-South-Africa-U-S.html
The U.S. has a violence rate of 466 crimes per 100,000 residents, Canada 935, Australia 92 and South Africa 1,609.
No, BS cited the Wiki info–just thought I’d give him more info on his level. The assertion that numbers of guns cause gun crimes is his to defend.
How cute that you two blog side by side.
@Emma
Is Mr. Emma not allowed to blog? Should one of us give up our right to free speech? I don’t think it’s your position to censor us. That’s up to Elena and Moon.
Used by the homeowner on themselves or by a member of the family on the family. I didn’t say against.
@Lyssa
Ah, thanks. Now I understand your comment.
Actually, I didn’t look at Wiki for my information. I Googled “gun control Japan” and was brought to several newspaper articles not Wiki.
Emma and Cargo: I may be willing to change my stance on this issue. Are there data available showing that an increase in the accessibility to weapons by the public actually has either no impact on criminal activity or that it even decreases criminal activity? If there is and its is credible then argument over and I move to your side.
All I can say is…wow. Please do us all a favor and never buy a gun.@Censored bybvbl
@BSinVA
I will find the data. Here’s a start. Read John Lott’s More Guns, Less Crime. He was formerly a gun control advocate and he was attempting to prove his premise. Second, gun ownership in Virginia has shot up while gun crime has dropped. Third, gun crime is higher in DC, lower in NOVA, where there are more guns.
That’s a generalized start.
Cargo, you read stuff that validates your opinion and close your mind to stuff that does not.
@Emma
What gave you that “wow” factor? I think you’re mistaking me for someone else. (You’re the only one from our blog meet-up who has been dishonorable enough to publicly link my spouse and me. That says enough about your character.)
Gerald Loughner was apprehended as he was reloading. If he had had a Bushmaster or similar, the death toll would have been higher.
Incidentally, if we go off the fiscal cliff in a few days, local governments won ‘t be hiring anybody cuz they won’t have any money.
Cargo: I was serious about showing me credible data and you rely on John Lott. Here is what MediaMatters for America said, “Lott first gained fame in the 1990’s for his claim that the passage of laws allowing for the concealed carry of handguns causes levels of violent crimes to drop – a claim that has since been debunked. Lott has since been convincingly alleged to have fabricated data that 98% of defensive gun uses don’t involve the firing of a weapon, cited data that doesn’t exist to claim that the end of the assault weapons ban reduced murders, altered blog posts after the fact to eliminate false claims for which he had been criticized, and invented facts that don’t appear in a study he cited, among other instances of fabricated, misrepresented and sloppy research.” I Googled “John Lott discredited and 63,100 entries.
I personally believe that I should be able to protect myself, my family and my property from harm and that includes the use of a firearm. I believe others have that right as well. I also believe that what comes with that right is a responsibility to ensure that my firearms do not get into the hands of irresponsible people. I believe others have that responsibility too. When lunatics get weapons and use them against school children…someone failed in their responsibilities. I believe that where regular folks cannot be trusted to keep their guns out of the hands of lunatics or criminals, then the government must step in and take the necessary steps to ensure public safety. That includes a ban on assault weapons, closing gun purchase loop holes and absolute gun registration. I’m through.
I don’t recall meeting your spouse. You very frequently tag-team here with BS. But good on you for publicly clarifying that relationship to everyone here.@Censored bybvbl
@Emma
You sat next to him. This isn’t the first time you’ve outted us so don’t play coy.
He isn’t easily forgotten. MH (speaking of Mr. Censored)
Seriously, don’t ever buy a gun. Unless you’re just trying to validate that there are other factors at play than simply per capita legal gun ownership to explain gun violence. In which case, you’re doing a bang-up job @Censored bybvbl
@Emma
What are you talking about?
@Starryflights Well, you got me there, given your statistically significant sample of one shooter. But you should know that Loughner’s magazine was taken away after he was already wrestled to the ground by several bystanders. The truth detracts from the popular narrative that some 61-year-old grandmother single-handedly stopped him from reloading.
@Moon-howler
Thanks Moon, I have settled down. It is sad to see folks take such absurd views.
@Moon-howler I sat between Censored and CindyB, and spent much of the time there catching up with CindyB. You may or may not recall that I couldn’t stay long because I had to pick Mr. Emma up at the airport, so I don’t recall that I actually met him or realized that was his moniker.
Anyway, I’m looking through my pics, because I know I have a great shooter-with-purse-and-high-heels pic there somewhere. I’ll email it to you when I find it, so you’ll have hardcore evidence 😉
Let me know when you have done so….You know me and checking email unless you use my major email.
Found one of them–check your email.
Got it!
Cargo, its here, heels and all. I told Emma they needed to be spikier. (more like hooker shoes)
@BSinVA
You are relying on MEDIA MATTERS to refute John Lott? Instead of relying on hacks, read it yourself.
His work has not been discredited. It has been attacked and said to be discredited. Political attackers always try to discredit their opponents.
That includes a ban on assault weapons, closing gun purchase loop holes and absolute gun registration. I’m through.
That sounds like an over reaction seeing as how there are about 3 million AR rifles alone, and about 300 million guns in private hands.
But if you still want info, and want to keep an open mind…. I’ll send you links.
@Starryflights
He was reloading a thirty round magazine. Because it was an extended magazine, someone was able to grab it. If it had been a standard magazine, he would have reloaded more quickly and it would have been almost impossible to grab it. Because that happened, he was tackled.
FACTOID: Donald Kennedy, then editor of the prestigious Journal of Science called Lott a fraud. Michelle Malkin said Lott had shown an “extensive willingness to deceive to protect and promote his work.”
@Emma
You did not sit between Cindy and me. I sat next to Cargo and BS in VA. You were there when we arrived. My husband introduced himself with both his moniker and real name.
@Censored bybvbl Sure, whatever. Then I just dreamed of turning to my right and talking about the old days of Girl Scouts and what our grown kids are now up to. Funny how you question my character, yet you’re the one who’s obsessed with repeatedly trumpeting your relationship to him here, not me. Find something else to be right about, and have a wonderful day.
I think anger management would be a good required course for gun ownership.
@Censored bybvbl
And for those that want to exercise the 1st amendment and driving, and…..
@Censored bybvbl which is why you should stay away from guns. Seriously. I’m speaking to you as a healthcare professional.
@Cargosquid
It wouldn’t be a bad idea around the DC area.
@Emma
Hahahaha….
Sure glad those cops in Camden had – what was said – oh “a fighting chance”.
@Lyssa He grabbed an officer’s gun. How would any kind of gun control have prevented that from happening?
@Lyssa
Yep..they sure did. They shot that guy dead as a door nail after he broke free of them and grabbed an officer’s gun.
I guess their lack of security means that its too dangerous for police to be carrying weapons.