Originally appearing as a 'Letter to the Editor'
An intruder breaches the defensive perimeter at a Tecumseh School building. The shooter now has full run of the building, shooting any one he chooses. He is going door to door, hallway to hallway looking for his next victim. Where are the police? They are not on site. How soon will they arrive? How many will be shot before help can arrive? What has the school system done to prevent, slow down or stop, an active shooter incident? What more can be done? We need to know!
We all hope this scenario never occurs in a Tecumseh School building! But if it does happen, what procedures are in place now? All exterior doors at each building are locked during school hours. One entrance is provided where all visitors are screened. Entry is gained after the door is electronically unlocked by personnel inside the building. This results in a defensive perimeter. But a shooter can breach this perimeter easily by breaking the glass, and then start locating victims, shooting at will. When the first gunshot is heard teachers are advised to lock all classroom doors. All methods are utilized to block the entrances to the classrooms with anything that will work, chairs, desks, whatever is available then students and staff are to attempt to leave the building if possible. Students and teachers will also look for anything they can throw to distract/harm the shooter if they gain access to the room. That’s where we are now.
Statistics indicate that during an active shooter situation one person is shot every 17 seconds. Department of Homeland Security research reveals that the average duration of an active shooter incident at a school is 12.5 minutes. In contrast, the average response time for law enforcement is 18 minutes. http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2013/10/quicker-response-to-active-shooters.aspx. I believe that Clark County Sheriff deputies’ response would be quicker, however we truly do not know with the school building locations and availability of Deputies. The number of 17 second intervals in 12.5 minutes is 44.
Tecumseh School and Clark County Sheriff’s department have created the best defensive perimeter they can with what is available. Have Tecumseh Schools done everything possible to stop an active shooter quickly? What defensive or offensive procedures and tools do the police bring to stop an active shooter? Can we do more to protect our schools by having additional procedures and tools on site?
How do you stop an active shooter? An Armed and Trained Response Team Concept is always on site to counter an active shooter with the training and tools needed. The particular one that I am aware of is being used by the Sidney City Schools, Sidney Ohio. The development process was an accumulated effort by Sheriff John Lenhart, Sidney Schools Superintendent John Scheu, Sidney City School Board and with Public input.
Each building has an Armed Defense Team consisting of one School Security Officer (SSO) and armed staff members at each building. All SSOs are contracted personnel who are retired police officers wearing the Sheriffs uniform being paid $15.00 per hour with no benefits.
Staff members are volunteers that must pass a background check, classroom training, firing range training and attend monthly trainings. Each volunteer has firearm access by virtue of a biometric safe as well as a bullet proof vest with STAFF on front and back. Staff members that volunteer to protect the students and themselves receive no additional pay.
The entire concept will only work if you have some employees volunteer to protect themselves and their students within the Tecumseh Schools, as well as the school board, Sheriff Department and community support of the concept. I am not suggesting that we rush to implementation of this concept. I am suggesting that the door be opened to review the feasibility to implement this concept for our students and staff safety in a public forum.
Shelby County Ohio now have 5 school districts using the armed Response Team concept. Three of the schools have modified the concept as used by Sidney City Schools.
I publicly ask that this issue be placed on Tecumseh School Board Agenda in order to present the concept to the public. I believe the decision to implement or not must be decided with public input.
