Griego's statement has been bothering us since last Friday and could easily be used to describe most of the policy decisions made by the school board and the administration. It indicates a dedication to mediocrity and an innate ability to ignore reality that is frankly astonishing.
The reality is that children attending our schools are in danger; these are the lessons of tragedies like Columbine and Virginia Tech. All it takes is one crazed individual and people die. Having a weapon secreted away in a trunk does nothing to afford anyone any protection even though it makes some fools embedded in a meeting room feel better about themselves.
To make matters worse, our Eyes tell us that there are literally hundreds of people in the Albuquerque area that are suspected of having ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas. How long will it take these dirt bags to figure out that we leave our most precious treasures unprotected because "we like what we have?" How long will it take for them to make us all pay for the school board's foolishness?
It's no wonder that APD and BCSO want nothing to do with taking on the responsibility of policing APS. We don't believe that Sheriff White or even Chief Schultz would send their officers out without their side arms. In fact, the Sheriff was on Bob Clark's 770 KKOB radio show just this morning and his analysis of the board's action was spot on, saying in essence that the decision not to arm APS police officers was about the board's collective dislike of guns. We'd agree.
Here's a little slice of reality for the school board... when you don't train and equip your police officers with the proper equipment (that means guns - spelled g-u-n-s) you don't create security, you create victims and on a potentially large scale. It's time to make some serious changes to the make-up of the school board and to the system that makes it possible for its members to ignore reality and the people who live in it.
(Sidebar)We'd start by moving school board elections in order to coincide with other elections to improve overall turn-out. We all pay for these yahoos and for their decisions; more of us should be involved in the selection of those who make them. In addition, the move would lengthen the school board election season affording the average voter more time to look into the various candidates and their positions on things like say... ARMING THOSE CHARGED WITH PROTECTING OUR KIDS!
Before anyone in the Mayor's office gets all excited that we'd endorse an APS takeover by the Almighty Marty, we wouldn't and we don't. We've seen the shenanigans of the mayor and his minions. We really don't need more power concentrated on the 11th floor.
(End Sidebar)
Being on the school board is a thankless position, probably even more so than being on the city council. However, it's time that we require those who are in office to learn the lessons that are so obvious to the rest of us. It's time for us to fail any of them that just don't learn.
19 comments:
Look at it this way... a COP without a GUN is nothing more than a SECURITY GUARD. The only difference here is that APS security guards have arrest powers. Way to go APS. You've shown how little you care about our kids that attned your schools.
Personally, if anything EVER happened to my children because you failed to give your SECURITY GUARDS the tools they need to protect them, I'd sue every last stinking one of those idiot board members and take them for every single undeserved penny they have.
APS School Board is a joke! I can't believe that these idiots actually want to be taken seriously. Obviously our children's safety is their last priority. With incidents like Columbine, the Amish masacare, and Virginia Tech you would think arming the APS Police would be a no brainer! I for one will be paying closer attention to these elections and I just hope APS never has to face a school yard shooting with an unarmed police force.
Unfortunately, this issue like the manning level issues will not be addressed until someone dies. It is the apathy, ignorance, and overt political correctness of the administration that is going to cause heartache. In a month, or six months, or a year when an incident happens and parents are crying out in anguish because their son/daugther are dead at their school. Only then will the administration take action, claiming that the safety of our children is the #1 priority and blaming others for their oversight on this issue. At that time I pray that every single one of these people are called to the forefront and held accountable for their actions. It is appalling that people in this position are wallowing in their own ignorance and naivety, afraid to upset or offend anyone, and willing to put the safety and lives of the Officers as well as all of the students at risk. I wish the worst for them.
Here;s a twist, as a retired cop I have national concealed carry by Federal Statute. Almost the entire APS force is in that exact same situation, so they can and are armed when they aren't at work, on the way to work, on the way home from work.... but not while they are protecting your kids. (I say your kids because I, like almost every 34 I know, have my kids in private school for a mriyad of reasons including this one.)
Hey APS Board members how about the next time you call for a Cop at your residence the Cop has to call the Mayor in order to get authorization to get their gun from thier trunk before they can head to your house. Sounds ridiculous huh.....so do you and your policy with APS Police.
The last person that should take over APS is Mayor Marty Chavez and Chief Schultz. They would really politically courrpt APS Police......... Look what they have done to APD.
If anyone, it should be Darren White
That's a great idea. Let's get Daren out of County Government and send him to work with Brad the brain child at APS. I say let's do it, they deserve each other!
Last entry from the 11th floor.
Any one who really cares about this issue can make a (real) difference simply by showing up at the next board meeting; there, to stand up for what you believe in for two minutes (at the public forum).
It is nice that we have a high school in lockdown this morning!!!! I sure hope the armed man waits, until the officers get authorization to unlock their trunk, before he starts killing people. I'm sure an armed gunman in a school will play fair!
Not that I'm crazy or anything, but if I were, and not that I'm armed or anything, maybe I am, and not that I don't have a hard on (for the little pukes that tease my dogs, deface my property and throw rocks through the windows) but love the little crumb crunchers instead, I would not hesitate, if I were going to take out as many as I could, to go into the APS schools, because I know that the cops don't have guns......think they'll use strong language instead? Unarmed cops are like post op transvestites, they may look pretty, but got no balls.
That is one of the funniest comments I have read. I will be using that one in the future.
Unarmed cops are like post op transvestites, they may look pretty, but got no balls.
You can walk into any APS school anywhere in the city and start shooting WHY becasue the doors are opened with no security.APS security is a JOKE
Lets not mix apples and oranges. Security guards are NOT cops! That's why they are called security guards - they have nowhere near the training of regular Police Officers! No - I do not want "security guards" carrying guns around. Use properly trained Police Officers instead. Duhhh.............
"Lets not mix apples and oranges. Security guards are NOT cops! That's why they are called security guards - they have nowhere near the training of regular Police Officers! No - I do not want "security guards" carrying guns around. Use properly trained Police Officers instead. Duhhh............."
You stupid ass. Before you post a comment, make sure you understand the facts. APS cops are exactly that...COPS. The have gone through state LE academies. Hell, most of them are retired COPS. They are ALL STATE CERTIFED law enforcement officers.
You apparently have no clue what the difference is between apples and oranges. Duhhhh.........
Let me pile on here, there are APS security troops - they are not part of this argument - the guys at APS in the DARK blue uniforms are real COPS. I believe that darn near 100% of them retired from APD w/a few from other depts. They are state certified and since they can carry guns when checking the schools after school hours they are shooting qualification courses 4 times a year just like the other depts. Like Cartman posted above, they are legally allowed carry and concealed carry at all hours of their daily life EXCEPT when they are protecting our kids. That is obscene.
Absolutely Correct.
"Anonymous said...
Hey APS Board members how about the next time you call for a Cop at your residence the Cop has to call the Mayor in order to get authorization to get their gun from thier trunk before they can head to your house. Sounds ridiculous huh.....so do you and your policy with APS Police."
Freagin' priceless, dude.
Oh, and a reason why APS is leary to arm? I worked SECURITY at Jefferson County Schools, but I was armed. Then the lawyers came down with the decision on who was responsible for protecting the students and teacher massacred at Columbine High (one of my high schools after the fact, poor bastards) and get THIS:
Since it was determined that the Sheriff was responsible (and had to pay lots of cash out to the families of victims) they basically made us into, let me get this right - transvestites! We were responsible for Safety, Security and Wellbeing ONLY, NO law enforcement. Yup, straight from Non-violent Intervention/De-escalation training.
The laws in Colorado did not at the time support, and have not changed to my knowledge, a school district creating a full-fledged police department. And the laws in New Mexico don't allow for the creation of a "school police" either. They have gotten by with special deputy commissions from the Shire Reeve since the 1970s, and have suffered since they cannot legally have an NCIC terminal. TRY getting one with no ORI, IMPOSSIBLE.
And that, oh 34s of Albuquerque, is why they are wary to arm. When the lawsuits are written on the wall after a local massacre, they don't want to take a step "backward" by disarming the officers they just armed when the lawyers say its time to cut liability bait.
Incidently, the JeffCo Sheriff had a KICK ASS sergeant and a great group of deputies holding down the high schools when I was there, they are a great resource if APD and BCSD ever need example procedures when (if?) it comes down that way in Albuquerque.
J. Lopez
Point of clarification:
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4-41-10. Right to carry arms; deputies; appointment.
Any sheriff is hereby authorized at any time to appoint respectable and orderly persons as special deputies to serve any particular order, writ or process or when in the opinion of any sheriff the appointment of special deputies is necessary and required for the purpose of preserving the peace, and it shall not be necessary to give or file any notice of such special appointment; however, the provision authorizing the carrying of concealed arms shall not apply to such persons.
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Special Deputies don't get to carry concealed like "normal" ones.
J. Lopez
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