Arizona attorney general proposes arming school employees

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Proposal to keep our kids safe is getting a lot of attention the attorney general of Arizona wants to allow one staff member in every school in his state to carry a gun.

Across the nation protecting children as you know has taken on new urgency in the wake of the sandy hook shooting in town Connecticut.

In new -- for example.

The state is providing 200 -- six hours of training in handling concealed weapons this teacher says she is all for it.

It's important that we have legal opportunity that it's not -- situation there in the room and restraint that we should be able to do it.

Admittedly let me -- so ridiculous here I don't yeah actually just a lot of problems you're -- Yeah a lot of information back and and -- -- in the end when students -- no nobody would nobody is there -- have -- -- easily get it and it stayed on me all day.

That she -- let's go back to Arizona now Republican Tom Moran is there he is the attorney general in that state.

-- mr.

-- thanks for joining us.

You want either a school principal or somebody else and every learning facility to be trained and armed how close are you making this to a reality in your state.

Well I've I've made the proposal we -- we're offering to provide free training I have 36 investigators were sworn police officers.

And sheriffs are also participating three -- already have agreed to participate and expect more.

To do that will need a bill to get through the legislature.

To.

To authorize.

A teacher or Arab or principal -- principles designee to have a gun at school right now no one can have guns at schools except policeman or retired policeman.

And so -- can pass -- emergency.

Measures and take effect right away we can do it right away otherwise would be ninety days after the session ends would be which will be sometime this summer.

Well as you know is this issue's being debated across the country people are pretty emotional fired up either up or down about this issue.

What are you prepared to tell parents who show up on your office doorstep pleading for -- not to be armed administrator some schools.

Well I think than -- some parents have been concerned because the proposal has been made to let teachers in general being got to bring guns to school.

And I share that concern I think that could create more danger than it that it avoids.

When teachers confiscate cell phone sometimes.

They put them in a locked drawer in the kids can still get at them so if if teachers in general but brought guns to school kids would get their hands on -- it could create more danger than -- avoids.

On the other hand the other extreme would be to do nothing and I think if we did nothing.

Then if another incident like -- occurred we would really regret doing nothing.

So I've tried to take the golden mean the middle way to do something that would improve the situation having a highly trained person.

And -- in every school.

And yet not not do something that might cause more problems than it would solve.

So there's also the law enforcement aspect to this just a little while ago this came into our newsroom that sheriff Joseph Arpaio in America accounting.

Is weighing in on this and of course across the nation he's known for being tough on US border.

Mexico border policy rather he's announcing plans today to deploy in armed volunteer posse to protect students in the wake of the sandy -- shooting.

Will that be part of your program.

Well I I I hope to work together with -- -- -- three other sheriff's.

Have already said they would work with me and I expect others to join as well.

Should assure -- pars proposals not to have them in the schools but to have them.

On the periphery of the schools -- Unless they're retired police officers under current law they couldn't be in the schools.

If the law changes then they could be in the schools and I've always been in favor of police officers being in the schools we had a program.

Hopeful of a police officers they're called school resource off -- SR rose.

In a small percentage of our schools.

And they do a lot of good not only -- -- there for emergencies.

But they teach some courses the kids they become friendly with accuse the kids -- they could confide in them.

That they're not the enemy.

But the problem has been budgeting we had them in a small percentage of the schools and the legislature cut have to cut back even on that because of the decline in revenues during the recession.

If we could afford to have a police officer in the -- because school resource officer -- -- -- in every school that would be the curve that would be the very best solution.

What I'm proposing is kind of a second best solution.

Understanding that the legislature probably cannot fund police officer in every school.

And that's interesting system of this comes down to money to you know a lot of this has come down to politics who across the country people saying well if you're -- one camp here this party here in the other camp through the other party.

People should know this idea though is not politically.

Persuaded one direction or the other when President Clinton was in office he reportedly was considering this.

My question is why hasn't this happened up until now I mean you talk about money and budget issues but just having someone in a school that's like a resource office or.

Or an armed and trained teacher.

Well I think the experience of -- is really urge shook us up.

And and as is upset all of us and we want to be sure it never happens again and we want to do everything we can to be sure it doesn't happen again and I've been avoided.

Both extreme camps I'm not in favor of just letting teachers in general take guns to school I think that could create more problems.

I'm also not and there were doing nothing I think we would regret doing nothing if there was another new town.

So I proposed -- what I consider to be the golden mean which I think avoids the partisanship.

That help solve the problem without creating new problems now okay next we'll descended on Washington if -- good doing that.

I I attorney general Tom Horne thank you for joining us today from Arizona.

Thanks for having me.

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Arizona attorney general proposes arming school employees

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