School Violence

There is a serious shortage of School Resource Officers according to a segment of people seeking solutions to school violence. There is no dispute that SRO’s in high schools and large middle schools, although their value in preventing active shooters is minimal at best. Almost every high school where a mass shooting occurred had a police presence on the campus when it occurred. This is true all the way back to Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Additionally, a pro-active officer will soon become complacent because of the inactivity associated with the position.
There is a value is having a police officer at high schools and large middle schools because they present a deterrent to crime and violence. There are the costs of benefits and retirement which is an additional cost of anywhere from twenty-five to forty percent.
Policing, by its verry nature, is reactive and determined to protect the citizenry. It could offer some level of deterrence but is not able to prevent criminal activity. They can make suggestions to reduce the likelihood of being a victim, and make suggestions as to the issues of safety.
A better possibility of reducing the opportunity to commit an act of mass violence in a school might be to invest in a clinical psychologist assigned to every high school. That individual would also have responsibility for the schools which feed the high school. That person would get referrals of students exhibiting behavior which is considered volatile, and the student would not be permitted to return to the classroom until cleared by the doctor. After testing and interviews, the student could then be referred to mental health counselling services for treatment.
Police do not prevent crime. Rather, they provide information to help others prevent being the victim of crime. Solutions to the violence must come from within the school system, not from law enforcement.
School violence is only preventable if the school diagnoses the problem student and takes affirmative action to to diffuse the anger before it escalates into a mas shooting. Most of the cases end with the shooter committing suicide or suicide by cop. It only becomes a law enforcement problem when the student acts.
It is time for parents, teachers and other students to bring attention to people who present abhorrent behavior that may result in retaliation. Most of the perpetrators of the violence intend to become part of the body count, so deterrence will not be a factor in prevention.