from http://www.abqjournal.com/news/118832news09-07-00.htm
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Unarmed APS Officers Called Liability Risk
By Jeff Jones and Rudi Keller
Journal Staff Writers
The Albuquerque Public Schools district is leaving itself open to huge liability by not allowing its 25 police officers to carry guns, a consultant says in a new report.
The consultant's report recommends that APS officers immediately stop handling all alarm calls, driving marked police cars and responding to calls of armed students or adults until they are allowed to arm themselves.
Board members said the report, which they received Wednesday, caught them by surprise. Dated June 29, the report urged immediate action by the board.
Two board members who voted against giving the officers guns in 1995 said Wednesday that they hadn't changed their minds.
APS Superintendent Brad Allison and Associate Superintendent Michael Vigil, who oversees police operations, said they weren't ready to endorse the idea.
Armed Albuquerque police officers or Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies are assigned to all high schools and middle schools. Some elementaries also have so-called resource officers.
The study cost APS $18,000, board president Aggie Lopez said.
"I would never support" arming APS police, Lopez said. "When you are not armed, you use your head a little more."
She said she can tolerate armed city and county law enforcement because "they are not our employees."
The study, an assessment of the police force, was conducted by National School Safety and Security Services of Cleveland.
The report says APS may have a hard time explaining in potential lawsuits why it chose to keep its own officers — many of whom are retired city police or county deputies — from carrying guns.
"Perhaps the best response to this question would be for APS to sign a blank check right then and hand it over to the plaintiffs," the report says. It later adds, "APS has been exceptionally fortunate ... to have not been the target of lawsuits for negligent security or related actions."
The report notes that an unarmed APS officer "miraculously" apprehended two rape suspects after coming upon the crime in progress. The report doesn't note when the incident occurred.
The report praises APS police, dispatchers and Police Chief Gil Lovato, saying officers are "performing very effectively" given the size of staff and budget.
And it adds that, although some may argue APS officers in the past haven't needed guns to protect themselves, students or staff members, "the potential for such an incident to occur is foreseeable."
The Journal requested a copy of the report more than two weeks ago. Lopez said she first heard about the report when that request was relayed to her. Lopez said she demanded that the report be given to board members first.
The board didn't have to approve the study in advance because it cost under $20,000, Lopez said.
Board member Leonard DeLayo joined Lopez in saying he was against giving the officers guns.
Lovato said he has serious concerns about the safety of unarmed officers, but he believes the recommendations to stop responding to alarms, driving police cars and handling calls of armed students are too strong.
The vast majority of burglar alarms at schools turn out to be false, he said, and armed city police or deputies respond with APS police to reports of armed students or adults on campuses.
"We need to really take an in-depth look at arming the officers," he said.
Kenneth Trump, president of the consulting firm and co-author of the report, said in an interview that arming school police shouldn't be a political issue.
"Do we vote on whether we send our (deputies) and police onto the street without firearms?" Trump asked. "A firearm is an industry standard for police officers. Period."
The report says one common concern about arming school police is the potential for losing control of a gun to someone who is violent. But it adds most law officers are trained on how to keep control of their weapons.
The report also urges the district to immediately boost its "extremely low" annual police training budget of $800 — which equals $32 per officer. Trump said that amount wouldn't even cover learning materials, such as copies, for police training.
Trump said APS police have "wheeled and dealed" with city police and the sheriff's department to get training, and they have done "a miraculous job." But he added "they shouldn't be put in that type of a position."
[/quote]
What a lot of morons reside in this world...
pax
"A lot of people can cover their mistakes, but not teachers. Their mistakes grow up to be school board members." -- John Leo
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Unarmed APS Officers Called Liability Risk
By Jeff Jones and Rudi Keller
Journal Staff Writers
The Albuquerque Public Schools district is leaving itself open to huge liability by not allowing its 25 police officers to carry guns, a consultant says in a new report.
The consultant's report recommends that APS officers immediately stop handling all alarm calls, driving marked police cars and responding to calls of armed students or adults until they are allowed to arm themselves.
Board members said the report, which they received Wednesday, caught them by surprise. Dated June 29, the report urged immediate action by the board.
Two board members who voted against giving the officers guns in 1995 said Wednesday that they hadn't changed their minds.
APS Superintendent Brad Allison and Associate Superintendent Michael Vigil, who oversees police operations, said they weren't ready to endorse the idea.
Armed Albuquerque police officers or Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies are assigned to all high schools and middle schools. Some elementaries also have so-called resource officers.
The study cost APS $18,000, board president Aggie Lopez said.
"I would never support" arming APS police, Lopez said. "When you are not armed, you use your head a little more."
She said she can tolerate armed city and county law enforcement because "they are not our employees."
The study, an assessment of the police force, was conducted by National School Safety and Security Services of Cleveland.
The report says APS may have a hard time explaining in potential lawsuits why it chose to keep its own officers — many of whom are retired city police or county deputies — from carrying guns.
"Perhaps the best response to this question would be for APS to sign a blank check right then and hand it over to the plaintiffs," the report says. It later adds, "APS has been exceptionally fortunate ... to have not been the target of lawsuits for negligent security or related actions."
The report notes that an unarmed APS officer "miraculously" apprehended two rape suspects after coming upon the crime in progress. The report doesn't note when the incident occurred.
The report praises APS police, dispatchers and Police Chief Gil Lovato, saying officers are "performing very effectively" given the size of staff and budget.
And it adds that, although some may argue APS officers in the past haven't needed guns to protect themselves, students or staff members, "the potential for such an incident to occur is foreseeable."
The Journal requested a copy of the report more than two weeks ago. Lopez said she first heard about the report when that request was relayed to her. Lopez said she demanded that the report be given to board members first.
The board didn't have to approve the study in advance because it cost under $20,000, Lopez said.
Board member Leonard DeLayo joined Lopez in saying he was against giving the officers guns.
Lovato said he has serious concerns about the safety of unarmed officers, but he believes the recommendations to stop responding to alarms, driving police cars and handling calls of armed students are too strong.
The vast majority of burglar alarms at schools turn out to be false, he said, and armed city police or deputies respond with APS police to reports of armed students or adults on campuses.
"We need to really take an in-depth look at arming the officers," he said.
Kenneth Trump, president of the consulting firm and co-author of the report, said in an interview that arming school police shouldn't be a political issue.
"Do we vote on whether we send our (deputies) and police onto the street without firearms?" Trump asked. "A firearm is an industry standard for police officers. Period."
The report says one common concern about arming school police is the potential for losing control of a gun to someone who is violent. But it adds most law officers are trained on how to keep control of their weapons.
The report also urges the district to immediately boost its "extremely low" annual police training budget of $800 — which equals $32 per officer. Trump said that amount wouldn't even cover learning materials, such as copies, for police training.
Trump said APS police have "wheeled and dealed" with city police and the sheriff's department to get training, and they have done "a miraculous job." But he added "they shouldn't be put in that type of a position."
[/quote]
What a lot of morons reside in this world...
pax
"A lot of people can cover their mistakes, but not teachers. Their mistakes grow up to be school board members." -- John Leo
