Great Article Sheriff!

[Unregistered]

Volunteers will have to be of a certain type of mindset that fits what they may have to do. “Volunteers in the Guardian Program may have to kill another child if that child comes in to murder other children,” he added.

(The "child" is no longer a "child", when engaging as an active shooter attempting mass homicide, work on your own mindset before public speaking perhaps)

Whidden said he “agrees 100 percent with hardening our schools,” having metal detectors and bullet-proof glass, “but, it isn’t a fool proof plan.” He said someone is going to figure out how to get into our schools.

(No, its not foolproof, it is ridiculous and super expensive, beyond the councils ability to add)

“When a shooter is standing in our cafeteria at 10 or 11 a.m. with a firearm, what then? We don’t know where the School Resource Officer is going to be on campus. We need someone there who will be able to engage and act quickly when minutes and seconds count,” Whidden said.

(Great, you just revealed something, wherever large masses of children are, so likely will a "volunteer". Just like you said someone who does their homework can figure it out - especially when YOU are giving confidential information. Are you breathe your own training aids?)


Whidden explained the requirements volunteers in the Guardian Program will have to meet and the training they will undergo. “Volunteers will have recurring psychological testing, polygraphs, background and drug screens, they will have 132 hours of active shooter training, 12 hours additional training, will have to shoot 1,300-1,500 rounds and pass with 85 percent accuracy.”

(Thanks for making that level of training available to the "regular" deputies who would like this)

Whidden said the volunteers will have more training then the deputies that are already on the school campus. “There is nothing special about a deputy other than the training. I’m going to be 100 percent confident that volunteers are proficient in what they are doing and that they are safe.”

(Since SRO officers are regular deputies who are assigned to the schools, it is an assignment, not a specialty that ones goes to sweet coddling feel good training programs. Its neutering or sterilization depending on the gender of the SRO)

The number of volunteers will be unknown, the carry method will be a concealed carry on an undershirt with a “totally enclosed secure pocket that cannot come out unless they physically remove it themselves” said Whidden. The gun will not be fully ****ed and loaded.

(Unknown number maybe, but the whole cafeteria mention, and now you just disclosed their method of carry - you are doing great - and you just gave another detail, "not carried fully ****ed and loaded". Why would anyone in such a position, especially with the training you explained - are these volunteers also trained in psychic prediction? Will they "see" an event coming, and load beforehand. If you are going to do this program, seriously reconsider the half-assed rules you are also commiting to. But, then again, this is a great PR opportunity, keep on!)

“If someone comes into our school tomorrow and kills the deputy, if the deputy calls in sick, or is on the opposite end of the campus, how do you stop him?” Whidden asked. “I can enact a plan that will keep your children safe if a school shooter was to come on campus,” he said.

“When a shooter comes in, he is going to have a big mean gun and will do a lot of damage,” said Whidden.

(Really great wind up. Expect and program the thinking that only "big mean" ones are used and "will do alot of damage" Any one gun will do alot of damage period. Seriously consider your thinking and thinking on this program. If you are going to commit to it, do it right, with no PR concessions, childrens lives are at risk by a program that is half-committed)

[Unregistered]

You're going to polygraph the Clandestine Rapid Apprehension Posse (aka CRAP) members, but, you're not going to make it a part of your hiring process for sworn, certified, LE and Corrections Deputies? You know, the ones who take oaths and can deprive folks of their freedom, uphold the laws (selectively it seems) and who can lawfully take a life if need be.

Oh, that's right, you've become the last chance home for wayward cops / corrections officers and if you did polygraphs on your very shallow applicant pool, it would become a puddle.

Why not spend some of the funds designated for screening and training the CRAP team on attracting and retaining quality applicants at HCSO? Take care of your deputies for a change, it works well where real leaders / sheriffs are in office.

Dumb idea, hoping for positive media coverage, doomed to fail, but that's what we've come to expect so nothing new here.

[Unregistered]

You're going to polygraph the Clandestine Rapid Apprehension Posse (aka CRAP) members, but, you're not going to make it a part of your hiring process for sworn, certified, LE and Corrections Deputies? You know, the ones who take oaths and can deprive folks of their freedom, uphold the laws (selectively it seems) and who can lawfully take a life if need be.

Oh, that's right, you've become the last chance home for wayward cops / corrections officers and if you did polygraphs on your very shallow applicant pool, it would become a puddle.

Why not spend some of the funds designated for screening and training the CRAP team on attracting and retaining quality applicants at HCSO? Take care of your deputies for a change, it works well where real leaders / sheriffs are in office.

Dumb idea, hoping for positive media coverage, doomed to fail, but that's what we've come to expect so nothing new here.

I'm positive there will be media coverage! When one of these commandos does something predictably stupid, like consider themselves para-law enforcement. "Im part of the Sheriff School Special Forces in Hendry...I thought I saw a crime happen..I can shoot at 85% or better and have got more traning than the average deputy.."