Here we go again, another school shooting. This time in Texas

[Lakenut]

Does anyone know if 1. This began as a shooting suspect fled the police, crashed, in the process of running went into school (first building he came to)to invade police then lost his mind.
2. The school was his target.

 

[wawazat]

My experience as a retired LEO who worked for both small and large agencies is that the agencies with budgets that allow them to afford armored vehicles and other equipment for specialized teams do also provide training on a regular basis and much more in some cases.

It's the smaller agencies that (due to budget cuts passed down by federal, state and local governments) cannot afford to send their officers to, in some cases, any training that teaches them how to deal with situations like active shooters. Please understand, it is not because they don't care or don't want to get that type of training, they just don't have the budgets that allow for it. Unfortunately, the same thing applies to time on the range. If the agency doesn't have the budget to purchase enough ammunition they have to limit their range time to, in most cases, the yearly qualifications required by the state.

That makes perfect sense. Also, please don't think I intended to imply that every officer not personally seeking that training doesn't care about the job they do. It was an overly broad criticism based on my experience with small town law enforcement, and occasionally law enforcement for larger metro areas, where the officers saw it either as just a job or an opportunity to harass the people that used to harass them. We had a few good ones in our small town, but we had some real prizes too. I also had to deal with the traffic side when I was providing technical support as they began adopting LPR equipment for some of their patrol cars.

The group I was thinking of when I said "the ones that care enough" were the officers that that make it a personal responsibility to train outside of work sanctioned/funded offerings. The benefit of stress inoculation training is HUGE for emergency workers of any discipline and not providing it should make the departments responsible for the outcomes.

 

[montesa]

I’m also seeing reports that he was wearing some kind of vest but it wasn’t actually armor. Not that it should matter.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I honestly have no issues with them restraining the parents, I understand that completely. Firemen won't let you run into a burning house either. I get all that.

Armed officers standing around and not making entry while gun shots are being heard from inside an elementary school, if true, is unacceptable. I'm not saying that happened. I'm saying if it did, those cats need a new gig, cause they ain't cut out for that one.

I had to re watch the video, there were no gunshots that I heard in it. I would agree, w/o intel (officers in the school unknown) their should be some that go in. The precise number I do not know. However if they know there are officers in there, introducing more long gun carrying people may add to the confusion. Just thinking out loud, not trying to start an argument.

 

[jakeman]

I had to re watch the video, there were no gunshots that I heard in it. I would agree, w/o intel (officers in the school unknown) their should be some that go in. The precise number I do not know. However if they know there are officers in there, introducing more long gun carrying people may add to the confusion. Just thinking out loud, not trying to start an argument.

Well, we read it on the internets, so, according to most people, it has to be true.

As we've seen over and over, and people still don't seem to learn, what you think you see isn't always what you're actually seeing. Nick Sandman should ring some bells for folks, but it won't.

I agree, right now, we still don't know what happened. Hopefully we will know how it all went down in the coming days. I doubt what we'll see on twitter in the next couple days will tell the full story, but sadly, that's as far as most folks will look, and their narrative will never change, like Kyle Rittenhouse shooting 3 black men.

 

[Gadsden]

That makes perfect sense. Also, please don't think I intended to imply that every officer not personally seeking that training doesn't care about the job they do. It was an overly broad criticism based on my experience with small town law enforcement, and occasionally law enforcement for larger metro areas, where the officers saw it either as just a job or an opportunity to harass the people that used to harass them. We had a few good ones in our small town, but we had some real prizes too. I also had to deal with the traffic side when I was providing technical support as they began adopting LPR equipment for some of their patrol cars.

The group I was thinking of when I said "the ones that care enough" were the officers that that make it a personal responsibility to train outside of work sanctioned/funded offerings. The benefit of stress inoculation training is HUGE for emergency workers of any discipline and not providing it should make the departments responsible for the outcomes.

No worries, I understood what you were saying, I was just adding my two cents.

I agree about the benefits derived from training for high stress situations, it cannot be underestimated. What I don't agree with is holding the agencies responsible for not getting their officers the training. If they don't have the budgets and in many cases the manpower to fill in while officers are gone for extended amounts of time they are kinda caught between a rock and a hard place. They want the training but circumstances beyond their control prevent them from getting it. The responsibility for what occurs if they do not get the proper training should fall on those who don't provide the budgets for them to receive it. In some cases, many actually, its local governments who divert funds from law enforcement to other areas and in other cases it's the voters who refuse to vote for more money for emergency responders. No money equals no training and bare bone resources.

BTW I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of some officers. But keep in mind one can find people in every profession that, for one reason or another, should not be there. Unfortunately, right or wrong, law enforcement always finds themselves singled out by the media every time there's a problem but hardly ever for all the good things they do that sometimes go above and beyond their duties.

Regarding some of the shenanigans that seem to come up in small town agencies, I have seen it first hand. I am not going to go into details, but after witnessing some things that no officer should ever be a part of I found myself with no other choice other than to take what I knew to higher authorities who, after an investigation, took the proper steps to correct the problem

 

[RagdollOp]

One way to protect children both physically and mentally is to not let the government control our children. Responsibility has been shifted in our society so much that the government makes most of our decisions.

Obviously, the government has seduced the public into this position by offering services to "help" but be careful what you wish for.

 

[jakeman]

One way to protect children both physically and mentally is to not let the government control our children. Responsibility has been shifted in our society so much that the government makes most of our decisions.

Obviously, the government has seduced the public into this position by offering services to "help" but be careful what you wish for.

If I had any school age children right now, they would be learning at home. I could protect them. Clearly the government can't.

 

[JuanGrande62221]

Full transparency, I've tried to avoid most of it, except here. I just ain't ready to read it or see it. I'm getting old and soft.

38 years ago I stopped being a LEO because the dead kids were just too much for me. Not much else bothered me, but that did. You do get hard, to some things. The kids bothered me more & more every, single, time. Every single time, it was worse, so I quit.

I'll get around to it; reading all the first hand accounts and watching all the videos, but not yet.

You’re 100% correct, kids are the hardest part, deceased or alive, abused or how what they’ve witnessed has impacted them.

 

[jakeman]

You’re 100% correct, kids are the hardest part, deceased or alive, abused or how what they’ve witnessed has impacted them.

I can't wrap my head around what entering that crime scene will do to first responders or investigators.

My worst nightmare. You can't unsee that stuff.