On Monday, CBS Denver reported that the Douglas County (Colo.) School District’s safety and security team had purchased 10 AR-15 long rifles for officers to carry in their patrol vehicles.
BearingArms.com’s Jenn Jacques reported that director of security Richard Payne authorized the purchase after seeing his officers training “hand to hand” with sheriff’s deputies armed with long guns. The Bushmaster rifles will be locked in security officers’ patrol cars.
In addition to school resource officers (SROs), who are active-duty policemen stationed at the high school, Douglas County Schools also employs eight full-time security officers to patrol the entire district. All are former law enforcement officers currently armed with handguns, and will continue to be so after the rifles arrive. “We believe in a layered approach,” said Douglas County School District’s spokesperson Paula Hans.
