Weapons are displayed after a gun buyback occasion organized by the New York Metropolis Police Division (NYPD), within the Queens borough of New York Metropolis, U.S., June 12, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photograph

July 15 (Reuters) – (This July 15 story corrects superintendent’s identify to Ragsdale from Ragland)

Georgia’s second-largest faculty district has permitted a coverage to permit personnel who are usually not licensed cops to hold weapons, a part of its response to the capturing at a Texas faculty that killed 19 kids and two adults two months in the past.

The Cobb County faculty board voted 4-2 at a gathering on Thursday to undertake the coverage as a solution to bolster the variety of workers carrying weapons at a time when discovering new cops is tough. The coverage would exclude lecturers from carrying weapons.

Staff licensed to hold weapons would get the identical coaching as licensed faculty useful resource officers.

It was not clear whether or not the suburban Atlanta district meant to rent new safety personnel who weren’t cops, or if it might use present workers for the position.

Through the assembly, opponents of the coverage booed and shouted, “Delay the vote,” demanding a extra detailed dialogue happen at an Aug. 18 assembly earlier than the board made a closing choice.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale stated closing approval for any personnel would lie with the varsity board’s police chief, Ron Storey.

Representatives of the superintendent’s workplace weren’t instantly accessible for remark, and members of the board who voted on the coverage couldn’t be reached.

In Uvalde, Texas, police took greater than an hour to intervene when a gunman entered Robb Elementary Faculty and opened fireplace in a classroom. The delayed response has sparked nationwide debate relating to the legislation enforcement response in Uvalde, in addition to over the dangers and advantages of arming workers at faculties to assist defend schoolchildren. learn extra

A 2014 Georgia state legislation allows faculty districts to set insurance policies to arm lecturers and different workers, however solely a handful have finished so because the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive Faculty capturing in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, Ragsdale stated.

The state faculty board didn’t instantly reply to a request for the variety of districts which have allowed armed lecturers in school rooms.

Earlier than the vote, Ragsdale stated the district, with 107,000 college students, at present has practically 70 officers stationed amongst its 114 faculties.

“If the board gave me a clean verify and stated go rent a college useful resource officer for each faculty in Cobb County, I couldn’t do this,” Ragsdale stated.

Reporting by Randi Love in New York; enhancing by Jonathan Oatis

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