Chief vs Supt over guns for teachers

DELTON, Mich. (WOOD) - Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, the people charged with protecting our children are asking many questions.

One of those questions: How do you stop a madman with a gun until the police can get there?

"You have to put up some kind of firewall. You have to put some kind of delay time," said Barry Township Police Chief Victor Pierce.
 
"Or do you put individuals in place that can can help bridge that time?"

You don't have to ask Chief  Pierce what he thinks about the idea of arming teachers and other school employees as a way to stop or possibly prevent the kind of massacre that happened in that quiet Connecticut community.

"To me it sends a direct message that I'm not going to mess with that," Pierce said.

He and school officials have had discussions on how to provide more police presence at Delton Kellogg schools.

The chief has recruited school employees to be part of his department's reserve squad. The reservists have basic police training and carry basic police equipment -- including a gun.
 
But they won't be armed at their day job.

"We're just not that far along in the thought process to think that that's the right thing for us right now," said Delton Kellogg School Superintendent Paul Blacken.

Blacken didn't shut the door completely. He admits ideas deemed radical in the past have a way of becoming the norm.

"Some day, if that becomes a best practice that we believe is the right thing for this school district, then we'll recommend it."

Pierce believes that will happen sooner rather than later.

"Everybody's always talking about this should have been done, that should have been done. Well, we're trying to put solutions in place."