Friday 23 February 2018

The Cop Story

As the story unfolds from this school in Florida with the shooter....we kinda find today that the school-asset-officer (whatever that means) stayed out of the shooting zone for three minutes.  He never engaged the shooter, and basically did nothing.  It's an older guy.....been with the county police for thirty-odd years, making $75,000 basic pay a year.

I've read a fair bit over the guy, and have come to four basic conclusions:

1.  In terms of being a policeman, or officer, or security guy.....no, he was there as some liaison guy who was supposed to talk to kids, and parents.  Beyond that, I don't think he really had the background or training.  Maybe they gave him a gun, and made sure he showed up twice a year to practice shooting it, but I don't think he was really a policeman.  If they meant for him to be there to protect kids.....I don't think they trained him to really be that kind of guy.

2.  The $75,000 a year?  Well....being some kind of liaison-guy for that kind of salary.....is a joke.  They could have gotten someone fresh out of college for maybe $35k to $45k for this type of work.  The cops were wasting the guy there, for that kind of money.

3.  Is this the kind of guy you have at every school in Florida....for security?  If so, you got a bigger problem.

4.  Finally, I come to necessity of having cops at schools.  I grew up in another era....where the one and only town cop usually showed up at the football games to ensure no fights broke out.  If you got an issue to exist where you need cops on the campus.....all the time?  Well, you need them to be able to arrest and detain kids very easily.  You don't see them giving that kind of authority to the cops in that school.

This guy now?  He'll retire....draw a pension, and quietly move away from Florida.  Sad deal for a guy who was probably a year or two away from retirement. 

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