Houston Police Chief does not want teachers to have guns.

[PATHFINDER]

I would be very interested in having a little chat with ANY PARENT ( or any POLICE CHIEF )-regardless of their philosophical position on armed citizens - who would NOT want the teacher to be armed with a concealed handgun in the event that one of these maniacal mass murderers was on his way to THEIR CHILD'S CLASSROOM.

If such a parent ( or police chief )is out there - child protective services would like to have a little chat with them too.

For the benefit of parents of school children in Houston this police chief should be asked to explain his apparent willingness to allow a maniacal shooter to slaughter 20 children and 6 staff at a Houston Elementary while HIS response team is enroute to the scene.

[baldeagle]

"I would not want any of my trained police officers to go up against someone with an assault rifle with a handgun if they could avoid it, because you're outmatched," said McClelland."

Yet he has no problem with teachers going up against someone with an assault rifle with pencils and erasers......

[RHenriksen]

"I would not want any of my trained police officers to go up against someone with an assault rifle with a handgun if they could avoid it, because you're outmatched," said McClelland."

Yet he has no problem with teachers going up against someone with an assault rifle with pencils and erasers......

Exactly. How he doesn't see the choice between certain death and a fighting chance is beyond me.

[TexasCajun]

I wonder what the "esteemed" Chief would deem an appropriate solution and an effective response should the unfortunate events of Sandy Hook be repeated in Houston.

[magillapd]

Wasn't it Houston who put out the PSA on active shooters? Run, hide, fight? In that video, the gunman can be seen clearly walking in right past at 30.06 sign.

I say the government should offer relocation packages. Move all the liberals into their own state and move out all conservatives. If I recall, most of the counties in America vote conservative, so it really shouldn't take up much space at all. They can have all their liberal and socialist laws, but the rest of us can have our conservative laws. Wonder who at the end of 10 years would be in the best shape?

*edited to add Active Shooter PSA Link* http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/press/20120726.html

[OldCannon]

I stopped reading at "Houston"

[baldeagle]

I say the government should offer relocation packages. Move all the liberals into their own state and move out all conservatives. If I recall, most of the counties in America vote conservative, so it really shouldn't take up much space at all. They can have all their liberal and socialist laws, but the rest of us can have our conservative laws. Wonder who at the end of 10 years would be in the best shape?

You don't have to wonder. Look at Chicago. Look at California. Look at Detroit. Everywhere you look that liberals have run things for a long time the economy is failing, people and businesses are moving out and the government is broke.

[Piratesailor]

Give the man a sign...

[koconcept]

In my humble opinion any person who wishes to deny a group or individual the right to defend their life is a sadist. If he is actually concerned about putting his officers in danger then wouldnt it make even more sense to allow the teachers to carry so they can take care of business should the need arise and then the responding officers just fill out a report when they arrive.

[Dave2]

That sounds a lot like what the officer who came out in response to a robbery at our house told us. His advise was to not spend money on an alarm system as the police response time would be such to ensure that no confrontation with the suspect would occur. His job was to fill out the report and take down the serial numbers of whatever was taken so that insurance could handle the losses.

There are many, many excellent police officers out there; some, unfortunately, see themselves only as historians - there to create a report after the mess.

My parents' friends' house was broken into a few days ago. By chance, my dad and I were walking by their house just as their neighbor came running out to tell us to call 911 while he chased down on his motorcycle the burglars that drove away to try to get their license plate. So, the wife is usually home all day, and being unarmed (California), we weren't going to go inside in case any of the BGs were still in there. My dad called 911 to report a break-in at a probably occupied residence (neither the husband nor the wife were answering their phones to verify locations). It took 16 minutes for the first one to show up, and she wouldn't go into the house until another cop got there about 10 minutes later (and they had to do a bunch of paperwork first). It was probably a solid half-hour by the time the police actually went inside to make sure our neighbor wasn't being raped or killed.

Anyway, the point is that at least two of the "historians" they employ as police in CA don't seem to really care what happens to you.

(The wife was at the mall, their kids were still in school, the husband was at work, and both their cats came out of hiding later that day, so at least nobody got hurt.)

[magillapd]

That sounds a lot like what the officer who came out in response to a robbery at our house told us. His advise was to not spend money on an alarm system as the police response time would be such to ensure that no confrontation with the suspect would occur. His job was to fill out the report and take down the serial numbers of whatever was taken so that insurance could handle the losses.

There are many, many excellent police officers out there; some, unfortunately, see themselves only as historians - there to create a report after the mess.

My parents' friends' house was broken into a few days ago. By chance, my dad and I were walking by their house just as their neighbor came running out to tell us to call 911 while he chased down on his motorcycle the burglars that drove away to try to get their license plate. So, the wife is usually home all day, and being unarmed (California), we weren't going to go inside in case any of the BGs were still in there. My dad called 911 to report a break-in at a probably occupied residence (neither the husband nor the wife were answering their phones to verify locations). It took 16 minutes for the first one to show up, and she wouldn't go into the house until another cop got there about 10 minutes later (and they had to do a bunch of paperwork first). It was probably a solid half-hour by the time the police actually went inside to make sure our neighbor wasn't being raped or killed.

Anyway, the point is that at least two of the "historians" they employ as police in CA don't seem to really care what happens to you.

(The wife was at the mall, their kids were still in school, the husband was at work, and both their cats came out of hiding later that day, so at least nobody got hurt.)

When seconds count, the police are 7 reports behind, on their Friday, and not gonna save you. Glad you and your father where not confronted by a BG eager to get away.

[MoJo]

The Beaumont PD has an active shooter policy and training. First cops on the scene team up and go in search of the shooter. When SWAT finally gets on scene they take overall command of the situation but hopefuly in a situation like Newtown it will just to do the paper work and haul the BG's dead body out.

Yes teachers and staff aren't first responders by definition but, if the principal or any of those dead staff at Sandy Hook had had a gun there may not have been nearly as many casualties.

[TacShot]

Israeli teachers are armed with and carry a Israeli Battle Rifle. The Houston Police Chief is part of the problem.

[Dave2]

Yes teachers and staff aren't first responders by definition but, if the principal or any of those dead staff at Sandy Hook had had a gun there may not have been nearly as many casualties.

They kinda are... Aren't they the first to respond?

[TexasCajun]

None of us are first responders by definition. But we can be called into that role by circumstances. That's why I prepare & train with what I carry. The HPD chief is ignorant, especially in light of the video. Why improvise a weapon if it comes down to fight when I legally carry an effective weapon? Same for teachers who already have their CHL. Why force them into such absurdity when they already have the means?