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PHOENIX — An Arizona sheriff has announced plans to deploy an armed volunteer posse to protect Phoenix-area students in the wake of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told KTVK-TV he has the authority to mobilize private citizens to fight crime but hasn't talked to specific districts.
"I don't know if they agree (to my plan) or not. I'll coordinate with them," he said.
He said he doesn't plan to put posse members inside schools but will have them posted around the perimeters within the next week. The posse members are qualified for the job, according to Arpaio.
"Our posses are well trained with over 100 hours of how to use weapons (and) they have authority under the elected sheriff," he said. "I feel they'll be a great asset to schools around our area."
Related:
Teachers provided with gun training at West Valley class
Since the Connecticut school shootings, educators across the nation have been asking themselves what they would do in a similar situation. In Utah, teachers were offered gun training.Arpaio is known as one of the nation's most high-profile supporters of strict U.S.-Mexico border policy.
His plan announced Thursday comes after two other Arizona officials released ideas for boosting school security.
Attorney General Tom Horne proposed firearms training for one person in each school. And Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu proposed training multiple educators per school to carry guns.
Arpaio did not say whether he supported arming teachers, but did say he would rather see resource officers put back in schools.
"I support arming cops in the schools," he said. "If you have a cop that's armed you don't need a teacher that's armed."
