Instead of Calling Out NRA on Guns, Spitzer announces Funding for Active Shooter Drills

Then-Supervisor Todd Spitzer speaks at a county Board of Supervisors meeting. (Photo by: Nick Gerda/Voice of OC)
Supervisor Todd Spitzer speaks at a county Board of Supervisors meeting. (Photo by: Nick Gerda/Voice of OC)

Spitzer is a tool for the NRA; see this announcement for proof:

Spitzer Secures Substantial Funding for Active Shooter Training at all Orange County Schools

 (Santa Ana, CA) – Teachers and school officials will receive training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies on what to do in the event of a mass shooting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer worked with the Orange County Health Care Agency and the Department of Education to create this program, which appropriates $4 million in Prop. 63 funds for active shooter training through June 30, 2021. Irvine Unified School District also had input.

This agenda item was continued from an earlier Board meeting so that all parties could discuss ways to focus on early intervention of children who have antisocial behavior and may be prone to violence. Spitzer held a tele-town hall on May 23 with leaders of these agencies and law enforcement to discuss ways to prevent active shooters on school campuses.

 “Practically every week a gunman opens fire on a group of innocent people,” Spitzer said. “The most vulnerable members of society are defenseless children who are trapped in their classrooms or the cafeteria. We are going to learn techniques from the best in law enforcement that will substantially increase the chance for everyone to get out alive during one of these horrendous tragedies.”

Training creates a uniform standard that allows law enforcement and school officials to speak the same language.  

The new funding will also include establishing a system to measure students’ confidence and the ability to cope with stress.

Orange County has the nation’s only coordinated communication system where every peace officer can hear a distress call and respond to a scene regardless of the jurisdiction.

If officers work with schools that have a uniform standard, it reduces critical response time and increases safety.

The program will be managed by the Health Care Agency and Department of Education, which will receive funding in three yearly increments of $1,353,272.

The agencies currently have a school safety program that focuses on crisis prevention. Last year, 93 out of the county’s 614 schools had signed up to receive crisis management training. The new program is open to all schools that request it.

“School shootings aren’t something that happens somewhere else – we need to be on alert because it could happen here,” Spitzer said. “In the past two years, the Sheriff’s Department responded to 469 threats of violence at our schools. Of that number, 179 students were arrested and 183 weapons were seized. We need to be ready.”

 

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