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Opinion

Masino: Police should do briefings at schools to prevent shootings

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A simple remedy and no-cost solution to eliminate mass shootings in Arizona schools. Current available statistics (2020) state there are 2,267 schools in Arizona.

Recent statistics for sworn police officers in Arizona is 14,591. These statistics are fluid and ever-changing, but can be used for this suggestion.

The overwhelming number of the 14,591 Arizona police are patrol officers.

These are the first-line officers who patrol our streets and answer our calls for service. Most of these officers, prior to starting daily patrol duties, report to a police facility known as a briefing station.

At that facility they are briefed on crime in their area and other police related information. These briefings are usually 30 minutes in length and occur a minimum of three times in a 24-hour period. During the officers’ 8- to 10-hour shift, many officers return to these stations for paperwork completions, process prisoners, and for other duties.

The briefing station also contain varying numbers of police supervisors who are present most of the shift for clerical work. The station always has station sworn personnel 24 hours a day.

The amount of police vehicle traffic at these stations is constant, and police vehicles are parked at the station continually. This is a great example of police presence that deters crime.

The simple solution to school shooting is to relocate police briefing stations to school campuses. This can be done by schools supplying classrooms and or mobile classrooms for police to brief during school hours. We know that shooters are cowards and would not attack our children with police presence.

All Arizona police departments should consider this proposal with their variables, and coordinate implementation with schools.

My name is Charles Masino and I am a resident of Sun City Arizona and a retired Phoenix Police Officer.