City-Wide Notable Calls

As the Chief of Police in Madison, I am deeply concerned about the safety of our students in the wake of the most recent school shooting in Georgia. It is a tragic reminder of the harsh reality that we live in a world where school shootings have become all too common. Yesterday's tragic incident marks over 40 school shootings nationwide in just over one month of education. We cannot afford to be complacent, nor can we allow our biases or political beliefs to oppose good common sense when it comes to the safety of our children.

As someone who has uniquely served as a public-school teacher (History and World Civilization), a school resource officer (middle and high school), and as Chief of Police in Madison, I am well-positioned to assert that reinstating School Resource Officers (SROs) in the Madison School District is a vital step towards enhancing school safety. This is especially pertinent given the lack of federal action on common-sense gun control legislation. SROs are not just any police officers; they are carefully chosen and rigorously trained to operate within educational environments. Their presence on school grounds serves multiple purposes: they are a deterrent to potential threats, they foster positive interactions with students, and they are poised to react swiftly in the event of an emergency.

Some may argue that we should rely on school counselors and psychologists to address safety concerns in schools. While these professionals play a crucial role in supporting the mental health and well-being of students, they are not equipped to handle armed individuals who pose a threat to the safety of students and staff. We cannot expect them (or our amazing teachers) to confront an active shooter or potentially dangerous situation.

Imagine if it were your own child in danger at school. Would you not want the reassurance of knowing that there is a trained law enforcement officer on campus to protect them? The safety of our children should always be our top priority, and we must take all necessary precautions to ensure their well-being.

Let us not allow politics to override the safety of our children. We must prioritize their safety above all else. We cannot take safety for granted, and we must take proactive steps to prevent tragedies like the one in Georgia from happening in our own community.

I respectfully urge the Madison School Board to seriously consider the reinstatement of School Resource Officers as part of a comprehensive approach to school safety and as a support for the dedicated employees of the MMSD. Let us start the conversation and reimagine school safety to ensure that our children are protected and can learn in a safe and secure environment.