A sheriff who has made headlines for his rigid stance on immigration appears to be following the NRA's advice when it comes to preventing school shootings.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced yesterday he plans to send armed volunteers to protect schools in Maricopa County, Ariz. from any potential threats, AZFamily.com reported Friday.
“I have the authority to mobilize private citizens and fight crime in this county,” he said, according to AZFamily.com. “We're not talking about placing the posse in the schools right now but in the outlying — the perimeters of the school — to detect any criminal activity.”
Arpaio's plans were announced just a couple of weeks after Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He also killed his mother before his shooting rampage at the school.
Arpaio, who got in trouble with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in September for his policing tactics, seems to be following the NRA's way of thinking with his plan for school security.
The NRA called last week for Congress to put armed police officers in every school in America, claiming it was the best way to stop another massacre.
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," CEO Wayne LaPierre said in a news conference.
In Arizona, the sheriff still hasn't discussed his plans with the schools, but if they agree he'll use people from his 3,000-member armed volunteer posse to patrol the schools.
Posse members aren't sworn law enforcement officers but take 101 hours of advanced training classes and are allowed to wear a uniform and carry a gun, the Phoenix NewTimes Blogs reported Friday.
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