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house Bill H.R. 2513

If Local Schools Approve, Should Off-Duty & Retired Cops be Allowed to Carry Concealed Firearms in School Zones as Security?

Argument in favor

Some schools, especially in rural districts, don’t have the resources for a security presence and if a school wants to allow off-duty or retired cops to carry concealed guns nearby in a school zone for protection it should be able to. It could deter or stop a school shooting and save lives.

operaman's Opinion
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08/27/2017
Wonderful plan. We could get this with lower costs using volunteers or cops who failed physicals with physical limitations. Every retired cop wants to protect his grandchildren.
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Matthew's Opinion
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08/27/2017
In Israel their children are safer than ours why? Because teachers carry assault rifles to protect children From terrorists
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John.Nutt's Opinion
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08/27/2017
Every school needs a properly trained person with a gun because if there isn't there is nothing stopping a man with a gun if he is at the school besides the cops that come five minutes later. So for five minutes that guy with a gun has free range. If there is a properly trained person with a gun he can stop him within 30 seconds and not only is it good defense but he will also likely deter possible school shooters. No matter how crazy you are you wouldn't want to enter a school knowing that there is a guy with a gun there who is just waiting for someone like you to come along.
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Argument opposed

Allowing off-duty or retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed gun in a school zone will only increase the danger to students and increases the odds of an incident occurring that could end in tragedy. It’s not worth the risk even if it could deter or stop a school shooting.

Ian's Opinion
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08/27/2017
You're asking for trouble, let kids learn in peace in an environment that doesn't remind them of a prison. Other countries don't have the same issues we do with school shootings, maybe security in our schools isn't causing this issue.
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GreenArrow's Opinion
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08/27/2017
Guns and children don't mix. How many times must this country learn this lesson.
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Merry458's Opinion
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08/27/2017
Guns only escalate situations. Also cops have a bad record of shooting black schoolchildren when "provoked". I don't see how this bill makes anyone safer.
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What is House Bill H.R. 2513?

This bill would amend the Gun Free School Zones Act to allow a qualified off-duty or retired law enforcement officer to carry a concealed firearm in a school zone if a local school board adopts a policy allowing it. Current law allows only on-duty police officers to carry firearms in school zones. The bill would impose no requirements on local school districts.

Impact

Qualified off-duty and retired law enforcement officers; and local school districts.

Cost of House Bill H.R. 2513

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

More Information

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) introduced this bill to give local school districts the option of allowing off-duty or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons in school zones to protect students:

“If a school wants to allow trustworthy retired or off-duty police officers to protect their children, the federal government shouldn’t stop them. The Police Officers Protecting Children Act allows local schools to authorize experienced off-duty or retired officers to carry a firearm in a school zone for the safety of their students. This is especially important for schools in our rural communities where law enforcement may take a significant amount of time to respond to an emergency. A well-placed retired or off-duty officer could save lives.”

This legislation has the support of six Republican cosponsors in the House.


Of Note: In 2016 the state of New Jersey enacted a law that stations armed, retired cops inside New Jersey schools. To qualify as a “Class Three” police officer, retired cops would have to meet the same firearm safety qualifications as active officers and undergo school resource officer training.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: NJ Public Safety Officers)

AKA

Police Officers Protecting Children Act

Official Title

To allow certain off-duty law enforcement officers and retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm to protect children in a school zone.

bill Progress

  • Not enacted
    The President has not signed this bill
  • The senate has not voted
  • The house has not voted
      house Committees
      Committee on the Judiciary
      Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
    IntroducedMay 18th, 2017
    operaman's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    08/27/2017
    Wonderful plan. We could get this with lower costs using volunteers or cops who failed physicals with physical limitations. Every retired cop wants to protect his grandchildren.
    Like (158)
    Follow
    Share
    Ian's Opinion Against
    ···
    08/27/2017
    You're asking for trouble, let kids learn in peace in an environment that doesn't remind them of a prison. Other countries don't have the same issues we do with school shootings, maybe security in our schools isn't causing this issue.
    Like (286)
    Follow
    Share
    GreenArrow's Opinion Against
    ···
    08/27/2017
    Guns and children don't mix. How many times must this country learn this lesson.
    Like (199)
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    Share
    Merry458's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    Guns only escalate situations. Also cops have a bad record of shooting black schoolchildren when "provoked". I don't see how this bill makes anyone safer.
    Like (194)
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    Andy1's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    Absolutely not. This would cause 10 problems for every one it could potentially solve. The GOP needs to start coming up with some actual solutions to our country's problems if they want to govern.
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    ShiraD's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    Guns do not belong anywhere near schools. Police officers do not belong near schools. How many videos do we need to see of students of color being assaulted in their classrooms to know this is a horrible idea? Awful, dangerous and unacceptable idea.
    Like (107)
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    John.Nutt's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    08/27/2017
    Every school needs a properly trained person with a gun because if there isn't there is nothing stopping a man with a gun if he is at the school besides the cops that come five minutes later. So for five minutes that guy with a gun has free range. If there is a properly trained person with a gun he can stop him within 30 seconds and not only is it good defense but he will also likely deter possible school shooters. No matter how crazy you are you wouldn't want to enter a school knowing that there is a guy with a gun there who is just waiting for someone like you to come along.
    Like (96)
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    Matthew's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    In Israel their children are safer than ours why? Because teachers carry assault rifles to protect children From terrorists
    Like (96)
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    Pamela 's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    No no no. No guns around kids. No guns around schools. Whose half-wit idea was this?!
    Like (73)
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    Brian's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    Some schools, especially in rural districts, don’t have the resources for a security presence and if a school wants to allow off-duty or retired cops to carry concealed guns nearby in a school zone for protection it should be able to. It could deter or stop a school shooting and save lives.
    Like (66)
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    Chase's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    Simply put, any school staff comfortable carrying a firearm should be permitted to carry a firearm. If some psycho wants to shoot up a school, they won't care about the "no guns allowed sign," but they'll probably be deterred, slowed, or stopped by someone else with a gun. People saying "let children learn peace!" are arguing something different. They should learn peace but "it's better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war."
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    Dawn's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    This is the best idea they've come up with in a long time. Gun free zones signify "victim here" and I can think of no one more qualified to keep our children safe.
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    Cade's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    weapons shouldn't be anywhere within a hundred miles of our classrooms, whether those weapons are held by "well-intentioned" wannabe heros, or by criminals seeking to do harm. no good thing can blast from the barrel of a gun within school grounds. it only makes an area more hostile, more likely to produce casualties, and less safe, less peaceful.
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    Ken's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    Guns seem to be some kind of fix all. The idea of having an armed society to keep us safe from the bad guys is very troubling. I do believe our schools are most vulnerable areas and our youth should be protected. What my concerns are have to do with this hatefull rhetoric that is represented by those that want things their way. Our president promotes violence from those very people. This whole idea is a very slippery slope.
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    Chester 's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    Yes of course. Only Liberals with no common sense would say no!
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    tituswife's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    Absolutely. These retired or off-duty officer are trained to save lives. What could be more important than to protect than our children? If we trust the police officer on the street to protect us, would we not want him in our schools, with those most precious to us as individuals, and to our future?
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    Zael's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    The only mass shooting on campus in the last decade have been in gun free zones. It's advertising a bunch of people won't be able to defend themselves.
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    Connor 's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    I really just feel like schools should always remain a gun free zone. As a student I feel safer the less guns are in my school as apposed to more.
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    Lillian's Opinion Against
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    08/27/2017
    Giving guns to retired cops (who probably retired not only for the money but also because they were "burnt-out" by the job) is an open invitation for them to shoot more black children. This law would most likely be invoked in states where the (often video-recorded) deaths of innocent black people most frequently occur, and this bill looks suspiciously like a license to kill. How about pepper spray, noise devices, low-level tasers, or even some kind of low-harm-risk "bee-bee" gun? There has got to be a technological answer to this that doesn't include killing. And what about trying some innovative behavioral programs that are geared toward changing the school culture from one of animosity and us vs. them, to one of compassion and mutual understanding? The problem is due to clashing cultures, one oppressed and one oppressing, and that is what needs to be addressed. Guns and killings just make things worse.
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    Timnyc's Opinion In Favor
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    08/27/2017
    Anywhere we can provide extra protection and role modeling for OUR Children and Staff I think is a good thing. It's not just about guns and violence it's about placing positive role models among students that can provide additional protection not just physical but psychology as well. This can't hurt and is a small price to pay for piece of mind.
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