by Dave Roberts » Fri Feb 16, 2018 3:38 pm
While I realize the failure of law enforcement on this one, as the son of an officer and as one who is a certified 911-communications officer, I think you need a dose of realism on just how thinly law enforcement is stretched in this country. Calls are received every day that are referred to officers and to the appropriate agencies. Because this young man did not have prior arrest record for violent offenses, he would not have been at the top of the list. In most states, the FBI has two or three offices (more or less depending on population density and the more recent criminal history. An FBI office is seldom more than 15 to 20 agents who cover wide areas. Where I live, the closest office is 60 miles away, so a report would have been put to the next agent with business in this area. Also, Parkland, FL, had a population in its incorporated area of approximately 30,000, so I doubt that more than 100 officers served in its department. When you break that down to administration, patrol, detective division, and allow for officers away attending various certification classes or advanced training, that probably left no more than 6 to 8 officers working any given shift. From what I have seen, the response times were remarkable and interagency aid was swift in coming. However, the blue line is very thin in most places in our country. I have worked in 911 when the shift sergeant was holding as many as three calls per officer awaiting dispatch because of more urgent situations. It's easy for those reports to slip through cracks or still be in a busy officer's in-basket.
Second, most schools in this country were not built to be easily secured. For example, my wife worked for a mostly rural school system where some buildings were located as much as 12 miles from the closest law-enforcement dispatch center. They were built where land was available, but often there are no physical barriers between schools and roads, neighborhoods, and businesses. Often schools are in multiple buildings with additional mobile units under covered walkways because local jurisdictions rent these rather than to build needed facilities, so doors are left open to provide those in the mobile units access to restrooms and other facilities. In addition, many schools have classes going to outdoor playgrounds, so doors are opened to allow classes to leave and enter. Often, students must go out and cross courtyards to go to gyms, shops, cafeterias that serve multiple grades from different buildings, and athletic facilities. Public streets may run through campuses. Security is almost impossible. To make buildings secure across our countries will cost billions of dollars in retrofitting and replacing current facilities, some of which have open ground-level windows because they are not air-conditioned. Securing campuses will not be easy of cheap.
Third, the current attitude toward public education in this country is to treat it as the dumping ground for those students who can't go elsewhere, so public school systems are often predominantly African-American and Hispanic. Parental involvement is very limited because the most active and concerned parents already have their children in private or charter schools. The abandonment of public education both to inadequate facilities and financial support leaves schools without the counselors and resource people to work with students like the perpetrator in the Florida situation.
Fourth, the absence of church people helping disadvantaged students leaves them even more vulnerable. I received a note today from a lady who goes to read to kindergartners each week. I have been in two churches that offered tutoring programs for those who were struggling academically. Others have worked to build mentoring relationships with troubled students. We need far more, not less in our current situation.
Sorry about the length of my rant.