HAMILTON -- A local sheriff wants lawmakers to put guns IN schools. Right now all Ohio schools are gun-free zones. But Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says lawmakers should mandate every school employ an armed security guard or police officer. The question is, who would pay for it?
Jonesâ outcry comes in wake of the horrific school shooting in Connecticut that left 20 children dead. He says school security must be increased.
âThey feel like with locks on the doors, and training people to hide in closets and under the desks, then that's sufficient. Well, itâs not,â he said.
Jones says every school, elementary through college, public and private should have at least one armed guard or law enforcement officer on property during school hours.
âOur kids need to be able to go to school and enjoy themselves and not have to worry about some crazy person coming in and doing what happened here,â said Jones.
âTheyâve got to try something. They have to make an effort, take a stand, something like that,â agreed Charles Howard, Sr. of Moraine.
But not everyone thinks that "something" should be an armed guard.
âMaybe metal detectors, but not armed guards,â said Liza Brewer of West Carrollton.
First there's the expense. School districts are already struggling financially, and some believe it's unlikely voters would approve of a tax hike to cover the salary of keeping a guard in every school.
âI feel like that would make you feel like it's really an unsafe school, that you have to have an armed guard,â Brewer said.
âI think today, people are willing to pay for the security. I would pay extra for my grandkids to have a security officer,â Jones said.
Jonesâ other idea was to train teachers and administrators to use a gun, and allow them to carry it at school.
EARLIER---------------------------------------------------------------
HAMILTON -- In the wake of the elementary school shooting, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is again promoting an idea of his to arm select teachers with guns -- or to place law enforcement officers in each school.
"Sheriff Jones would like to see new legislation mandating armed personnel in all Ohio schools (if not nationwide), grade school through college, whether public, parochial or private," a statement reads. "He suggests either having law enforcement officers assigned to every school, or having select teachers/administrators trained in firearms and law enforcement techniques to be available in every school building."
Jones admits the plan wouldn't guarantee shootings wouldn't take place but he said it would at least limit the number of casualties.
"If a potential shooter knows someone might react within seconds rather than having a 15-30 minute window of opportunity to wreak havoc on as many victims as possible, they may re-think their plan," Jones said. "It seems that some of these cowardly individuals wind up taking their own lives as soon as the first responders arrive. I think having the first responders already on site makes the most sense to me."
Jones said he is forwarding the idea to Gov. John Kasich to ask for his support.
Photo courtesy Butler County Sheriff's Office
Jonesâ outcry comes in wake of the horrific school shooting in Connecticut that left 20 children dead. He says school security must be increased.
âThey feel like with locks on the doors, and training people to hide in closets and under the desks, then that's sufficient. Well, itâs not,â he said.
Jones says every school, elementary through college, public and private should have at least one armed guard or law enforcement officer on property during school hours.
âOur kids need to be able to go to school and enjoy themselves and not have to worry about some crazy person coming in and doing what happened here,â said Jones.
âTheyâve got to try something. They have to make an effort, take a stand, something like that,â agreed Charles Howard, Sr. of Moraine.
But not everyone thinks that "something" should be an armed guard.
âMaybe metal detectors, but not armed guards,â said Liza Brewer of West Carrollton.
First there's the expense. School districts are already struggling financially, and some believe it's unlikely voters would approve of a tax hike to cover the salary of keeping a guard in every school.
âI feel like that would make you feel like it's really an unsafe school, that you have to have an armed guard,â Brewer said.
âI think today, people are willing to pay for the security. I would pay extra for my grandkids to have a security officer,â Jones said.
Jonesâ other idea was to train teachers and administrators to use a gun, and allow them to carry it at school.
EARLIER---------------------------------------------------------------
HAMILTON -- In the wake of the elementary school shooting, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is again promoting an idea of his to arm select teachers with guns -- or to place law enforcement officers in each school.
"Sheriff Jones would like to see new legislation mandating armed personnel in all Ohio schools (if not nationwide), grade school through college, whether public, parochial or private," a statement reads. "He suggests either having law enforcement officers assigned to every school, or having select teachers/administrators trained in firearms and law enforcement techniques to be available in every school building."
Jones admits the plan wouldn't guarantee shootings wouldn't take place but he said it would at least limit the number of casualties.
"If a potential shooter knows someone might react within seconds rather than having a 15-30 minute window of opportunity to wreak havoc on as many victims as possible, they may re-think their plan," Jones said. "It seems that some of these cowardly individuals wind up taking their own lives as soon as the first responders arrive. I think having the first responders already on site makes the most sense to me."
Jones said he is forwarding the idea to Gov. John Kasich to ask for his support.
Photo courtesy Butler County Sheriff's Office