Parkland Shooting Unprepared and Overwhelmed

[HoughMade]

The interesting thing about the OP analysis is that the school had policies in place that IF FOLLOWED had the chance to greatly reduce the harm. Poor training and "this can't be happening" prevented the procedures that were in place from being used.

As for the Sheriff's office, yeah- no processes, no training, no balls, etc.

 

[Doug]

Typical administrative thinking would be buy air soft guns and tell the teachers to threaten the shooter with it and expect him/her to turn and run. This would likely be as effective as blocking all international flights to prevent the shooter from fleeing the country.

 

[JettaKnight]

As I'm reading this, I'm struck by all the radios in people's hands, yet no one uses them. It's almost as if simply giving someone a talisman without training is ineffective.

 

[Alamo]

... There is no way the school administration would either buy the weapon or be willing to accept the legal responsibility of having provided one.

In Texas there are a bit over 1000 school districts, of which about 280 have authorized some administrators and/or teachers to be armed. The minimum state requirement is that the school board provide authorization in writing. At least some of them have also chosen to provide firearms, including rifles and shotguns. It appears that at least some of them (and I am guessing all of them) spring for training as well.

They don't arm everyone, they generally solicit volunteers and/or the superintendent/principal approaches individual administrators or teachers. Beyond the minimum of having written authorization of the school board, all the schools follow either the "Guardian Plan" or the School Marshal program. Nearly all choose the Guardian Plan, which was developed grass-roots style by the schools themselves and provides a lot of flexibility. Very few follow the School Marshal program, which is sponsored by the state and has some onerous requirements that greatly limit its effectiveness (go figure!). In either case, I believe all the school districts provide some funds to equip and train the teachers, and the State is revisiting the School Marshal program to make it more flexible and provide some funding for its implementation.

It can be done.

ETA: Also AFAIK the schools require the armed admins/teachers to first get or possess a License to Carry. That is probably on the individual's nickel, but I think it is not unreasonable to believe that most all the admin/teachers selected already had a LTC on their own.

ETA2: Harrold Independent School District Superintendent David Thweatt is the grand-daddy of arming administrators and teachers in Texas. His was the first ISD in Texas to do this, back in 2008, and he developed the initial Guardian Plan. Here he is speaking on it:

Since there’s no legislative recognition of the Guardian Plan, Thweatt said, districts that adopt the plan have to pay for it themselves. Thweatt said Harrold ISD reimburses employees who participate for the cost of guns, ammunition and training.

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article214896935.html

 

[churchmouse]

The interesting thing about the OP analysis is that the school had policies in place that IF FOLLOWED had the chance to greatly reduce the harm. Poor training and "this can't be happening" prevented the procedures that were in place from being used.

As for the Sheriff's office, yeah- no processes, no training, no balls, etc.

Zero "BALLS"

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Zero "BALLS"

Since the Supreme Court has found that law enforcement has no duty to protect citizens, I stick by my assertion that the Broward County SD should just be disbanded. I don't know what other duties they have (other than transporting prisoners to court if they're like Marion County), but if they're not charged with protecting or reacting to situations like that, then just have Uber or Lyft take the prisoners to court and be done with it. Not a slam on MCSD, but they kind of got relegated to officers of the court some time ago.

 

[Doug]

Based on the voting problems and the lack of competence in the Sheriff's department, it would be better if Broward county was disbanded.

 

[BigRed]

Here’s a project by the South Florida Sun Sentinel on the Parkland shooting at Majory Stoneman Douglas High Schhol. It shows just how many failures there were.

Diffentaly worth a look.

UNPREPARED AND OVERWHELMED




Two decades after Columbine and five years after Sandy Hook, educators and police still weren’t ready for Parkland.


Failures by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and school district cost children their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
A gunman with an AR-15 fired the bullets, but a series of blunders, bad policies, sketchy training and poor leadership helped him succeed. Information reported over 10 months by the South Florida Sun Sentinel reveals 58 minutes of chaos on campus marked by no one taking charge, deputies dawdling, false information spreading, communications paralyzed and children stranded with nowhere to hide.
To be sure, a number of teachers and police officers performed heroically. But an examination of the day’s events reveals that the Sheriff’s Office and school district were unprepared for the crisis.
Here’s a minute-by-minute look at those critical moments on Feb. 14, 2018.

​

UNPREPARED AND OVERWHELMED | South Florida Sun Sentinel | Sun Sentinel

A sickening and infuriating read and a good reminder of a number of things.

-Gun free zones are very dangerous and sometimes deadly.

-State is useless and is not your friend.

-When the **** hits the fan, your protection is your individual responsibility.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Based on the voting problems and the lack of competence in the Sheriff's department, it would be better if Broward county was disbanded.

There does seem to be a lot of incompetence all around down there.

 

[KG1]

A sickening and infuriating read and a good reminder of a number of things.

-Gun free zones are very dangerous and sometimes deadly.

-State is useless and is not your friend.

-When the **** hits the fan, your protection is your individual responsibility.

I am my own first responder.

 

[churchmouse]

I am my own first responder.

Yup.

 

[JettaKnight]

Based on the voting problems and the lack of competence in the Sheriff's department, it would be better if Broward county was disbanded.

Might get your wish:
https://www.wptv.com/news/state/bro...failure-to-respond-to-parkland-school-shooter
https://www.local10.com/news/parkla...ort-puts-broward-leaders-jobs-on-shaky-ground

 

[churchmouse]

Might get your wish:
https://www.wptv.com/news/state/bro...failure-to-respond-to-parkland-school-shooter
https://www.local10.com/news/parkla...ort-puts-broward-leaders-jobs-on-shaky-ground

Nah. Not enough here to raise my hopes.

 

[JettaKnight]

Nah. Not enough here to raise my hopes.

I suppose it's too much to say, "Forget about it Jake, it's Floridatown."

 

[Alamo]

I am my own first responder.

Everyone is their own first responder whether they like it or not. Some respond better than others.

 

[Doug]

Since the Sheriff said he told his officers not move toward gunshots because he didn't want them to engage in suicide missions, I'd say the deputies hiding behind their cars fully met BSO standards.
AFAIK the only things law enforcement are required to do are investigate after a crime has been committed and make a reasonable effort to apprehend the perpetrator. They are not required to go to anyone's aid or attempt to stop any crime that is occurring.

 

[Doug]

Everyone is their own first responder whether they like it or not. Some respond better than others.

QFT​

 

[Hatin Since 87]

Everyone is their own first responder whether they like it or not. Some respond better than others.

I agree. Different when it’s kids though. Laws prevent them from being their own first responders, and should become the responsibility of those put in positions of authority over them to be their first responders should the need arise.

 

[churchmouse]

I agree. Different when it’s kids though. Laws prevent them from being their own first responders, and should become the responsibility of those put in positions of authority over them to be their first responders should the need arise.

My heart rate goes up every time I hear of this Bravo Sierra. My hair stands up and eye are wide open. I can not wrap my head around any man that could cower behind cover while children are being slaughtered. I just can not fathom this. Have we been so emasculated by PC thought/MSM sound bite bravo sierra that there are no more balls on these men. Pi$$ed off does not near cover it. If you are not ready to defend then stay the hell out of the uniform.

JMHO of course being someone that would have gone through a window if need be to address the threat.

 

[Doug]

I understand how you feel and I feel the same.
Bear in mind, however, that taking action to stop the massacre in contradiction to the Sheriff's orders to stay away from the shooter would likely have resulted in disciplinary action and dismissal. Either one of us would have probably suffered that fate.

Also realize that any non-LEO who attempted to confront the shooter in the Parkland scenario would likely have come under fire by the deputies for interfering with the police; even though the police were doing nothing.