Los Lunas, NM {KRQE} - Kids with guns aren't the only worry for one school district, what about people from the outside?
School resource officers in Los Lunas will soon be packing heat to protect students.
School officials said they are concerned a threat from the outside could endanger students, and every minute wasted waiting for backup could cost lives.
Video of a disgruntled man opening fire at a Florida School Board Meeting earlier this year sparked the debate to get resource officers armed.
“My concern is not so much the kids on campus but those trying to come on campus,” the distict’s head of security Desi Garica said.
He said he pushed to make the district understand that if a shooter was on campus his officers wouldn't be able to take action.
“Do we stand back and wait for a law enforcement officer to arrive?” he asked.
Los Lunas Police Chief Roy Melnick said waiting means casualties,”What we have found… every minute you waste is about 20 lives. So now first officer on the scene they are trained to go right in there.”
If a school shooting broke out, the first officers on scene would be school resource officers.
All of them have worked in other law enforcement agencies across the state, and they're now working with Los Lunas Police.
“We qualified them through the same training that my officers get here in Los Lunas,” Melnick said.
The district has already dished out about 5 grand for guns and holsters; a price Garcia said is more than worth it.
“Is 48 hundred dollars to much to save one child?” he asked. “In the event that we have an active shooter, I don't think so.”
Those behind the push to get guns said they've had very little resistance to the new policy. The officers should start carrying the guns on campus within a month.
Albuquerque Public School Resource officers also are allowed to carry weapons on campus. They have been packing heat for three years now.
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