My son is/was a first grader at Kooser Elementry School. My wife over the weekend showed me this e-mail that the principle sent out. I couldn't find anything on the Journal Stars website about this but I thought I should post the letter the LPS sent out. I had no idea about this until she told me about it.
Dear Kooser families,
I would like to inform you of an incident that occurred after school today while parents were picking up their students. Parents observed a firearm inside of a vehicle on school grounds and immediately notified the police. The police then notified school personnel. An investigation determined an off-duty law enforcement official brought the weapon in his car onto school grounds, but posed no threat to students, staff or parents. This incident will be investigated and processed by law enforcement.
A reminder: LPS policy states that only on-duty peace officers and those contracted for school security may possess firearms on school property.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free contact me.
Sincerely,
Ann Jablonski
Kooser Principal
As a parent I am not mad at the officer. Though I think he is a idiot for not know the law that he is to be upholding and if he did have his firearm on him why he ever made it visible to anyone is beyond me. My real issue with the whole situation is with LPS policy. Why are off duty PD not allowed to carry on school grounds? It is there sworn job to protect us and uphold the law (which he didn't). Why must they be contracted as security to be allowed to carry there weapons?
I am a huge supporter of armed security with in the schools. When I walk into my sons school though a unlocked door to have the first person I might is a frail almost retired women does not make me feel the best about our children safety. After her you have a office filled with a group of very nice and caring group of ladies in the office. Past that you have free range to the entire school. I have never seen any other type of security within the school outside of administrators. I am not looking for a ex Navy Seal in full battle gear sitting at the front desk..... well maybe I am....
I have been out of school for 7 years now... but when I was at Northstar High School the campus security was compiled of the Head Baseball Coach, Head Softball Coach, and the Head Wrestling Coach. Though Northstar was not the worse school in Lincoln the first few years we had a lot of kids that had been kicked out of ever other school in Lincoln and some local gangs tried moving into the schools. I will admit the administration was very proactive about removing the problems but that doesn't solve the problem of the school using security as a way to hire coaches.
LPD does have recourses officers assigned to schools. But often they are not at the schools since they are responsible for multiple locations. They often sit at the high schools which is good but wouldn't it be better if you had a staff of first responders able to defend themselves and others if the needed?
So this was more of a rant for me then anything... I am not sure how much since I made through all of that but what will it take for LPS and other Nebraska school districts to realize that they have major weakness and should revaluate?
