|
Brent,
No, I am not a sworn officer. I am employed by the district and our title is District Resource Officer. In addition to a handful of us at each high school, there is an assigned "sworn" School Resource Officer employed by the local sheriff or city PD, paid for by the school district budget. There is quite a bit of gang activity and drug activity on our campus', and we are one of the largest districts in our state. I appreciate being able to work side-by-side with PD, but the reality is that we are typically the first to respond to incidences, intruders, weapons and drug searches, etc. long before PD ever gets involved. In the same debate over my decision to wear a barely noticeable vest, the school administrator told me of a situation last year where there was a kid searched who had two loaded .45 caliber pistols in his backpack. In another incident at different high school within my district last year, a student pulled out a pistol and shot it in the air during a school lock-down procedure, because he was dared by his classmates he didn't have the guts to do it. Burying your head in the sand while saying "it won't happen here" is ludicrous, and if I am expected to be a first responder to any campus incident, I should have the right to wear a vest as a precaution. In addition, I don't see how having us in full 5.11 tactical BDU pants and shirts, with a bright yellow x26 Taser, Pepper Spray, handcuffs, radio with earbud, etc. on our duty belts is less offensive.
|