It's beginning...

We all expected there to be fallout from the Sandy hook massacre--how could there not be when so many innocent lives were lost? What form the fallout would take--that's where the doubt lay. But now we have seen the first repercussions at the local level: The Fontana school district police department's purchase of 14 high-caliber rifles.

We at CopWatch, being cognizant of the problem of police violence and the rampant lack of accountability, have always questioned the school district's having its own police department. What other impact could it have than to criminalize youth and put them on the track to jail and recidivism? Now providing heavy weaponry to these departments will only increase the deadliness of their interaction with the youth. In no uncertain terms, we denounce the misappropriation of the funds used to purchase this weaponry when school district funds ought to be used primarily for the education of the youth. Bad move, Fontana.

Here's an article from the Fontana Herald News:

http://fontanaheraldnews.com/articles/2013/01/21/news/doc50fda76aebebe60...

Fontana School Police Department purchases 14 high caliber rifles

By ALEJANDRO CANO
Published: Monday, January 21, 2013 12:43 PM PST
In an attempt to provide local law enforcement with the "proper tools" to fight crime and avoid possible tragedies like the one which occurred in Newtown, Connecticut last December, the Fontana Unified School District Police Department recently purchased several high caliber rifles -- a decision that has sparked controversy among local education leaders who are opposed to such weapons on campus.

According to FUSD leaders, the district purchased 14 rifles (model Colt 6940) valued at $1,000 each -- weapons designed to provide accuracy over long distances.

The rifles, similar to the ones used by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), were purchased last October but were not received until December, said FUSD Superintendent Cali Olsen-Binks.

"(School Police) Chief Billy Green regularly states 'our officers are willing to take a bullet for our kids.' If our police officers are willing to place their lives in the line of danger, it is imperative that we provide them with the necessary resources to protect our children," said Olsen-Binks. "Fontana Unified will continue to place the safety of its students at the forefront of its considerations, creating safe learning environments where students can achieve."

Olsen-Binks added that the decision came after consulting law enforcement experts, including members of the City of Fontana Police Department; world-recognized expert in school violence Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman; and Inland Valley Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT).

Olsen-Binks also said these military-style rifles are to be kept in a safe and only used in extreme emergency cases, including incidents like the one which took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where 27 people lost their lives, including 20 children.

Green explained that officers had to go through 40 hours of training with the rifles during the winter break.

Green added that it is imperative that law enforcement officials have access to heavy weapons in order to provide security for innocent people.

"We know that criminals wear bullet proof vests. Our guns are not able to penetrate these vests from long distance, so we need shoulder weapons to defend innocent people. This is a decision I made and I have no regrets. Moreover, this is not new; rifles like these were used by the department since the 2000s," said Green. "The community should be calm and know that we are here to protect students and staff and that we will do whatever necessary to achieve our goal."

HOWEVER, School Board Member Leticia Garcia is strongly opposed to the idea, arguing that rifles are not needed at school sites.

"I am appalled that the superintendent would arbitrarily and unilaterally make a policy decision to arm Fontana School Police with high powered rifles. I do not think there is ever a need for this kind of arms on our middle and high schools campuses," said Garcia.

She said the Board of Education needed to be "informed of the intent to turn our schools into militarized zones without approval and without properly vetting the issue with the community."

Garcia added that as a parent and board member, she feels "outraged" and "frustrated" by the "knee jerk" decision made by Olsen-Binks to use public funds to pay for these weapons and ammunition.

School Board Member Barbara Chavez said she feels torn because on one hand she understands the need to protect students and staff, but on the other hand she is against the use of heavy rifles.

"My only consolation is that they will not be carried around or even in the patrol cars. I worry about the safety of our students, but I also worry about the reaction of the community. This could create division in the community and increase the lack of trust in the police," said Chavez.

The school district has never experienced a shooting inside any school site, said Olsen-Binks; however, it is good to be prepared, she added.

THE DECISION to buy the rifles has created controversy on social networks like Facebook.

For Anna Conklin, a former Fontana resident and program manager for the California State University San Bernardino/First 5 Maternal Intervention Project at Glen Helen County jail, more weapons do not fully address the issues of crime prevention and intervention.

"There is something very wrong when a district's management chooses more police and weapons while not returning the comprehensive counseling program," said Conklin, whose husband Fred Conklin used to work as counselor for the FUSD.

The FUSD decided to close the counseling program in 2011 in an attempt to solve the district's severe budget crisis. Garcia said recently that she hopes the counseling program can be restored if the California budget proposal for school year 2013-14 is approved.

Meanwhile, Shannon Casey, a Wrightwood resident, said on a Facebook post that police should be supported for doing their job.

The FUSD is one of the few districts in Southern California to have its own police department and enjoys a close relationship with the Fontana Police Department.

Y ahora en español:

http://www.laprensaenlinea.com/noticias/noticias-historias/20130122-font...

FONTANA: Distrito escolar compra rifles de grueso calibre

ALEJANDRO CANO ESPECIAL PARA LA PRENSA
Publicado: 22 enero 2013 10:19 AM

FONTANA — Con la intención de proveer las herramientas necesarias a los agentes del orden para la protección de miles de estudiantes, empleados y miembros de la comunidad, el departamento de policía del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Fontana (FUSD por sus siglas en ingles), adquirió recientemente rifles de grueso calibre, decisión que ha desatado controversia entre líderes educativos que se oponen a este tipo de armamento en las escuelas.
Según la Superintendente Cali Olsen-Binks, el distrito adquirió 14 rifles modelo Colt 6940, valorados en 1,000 cada uno y capaces de proveer mejor precisión a larga distancia para la seguridad y protección tanto de los agentes de policía como de la población estudiantil, el pasado mes de octubre, pero no fueron recibidos sino hasta la primera semana de diciembre del año pasado.
“Nuestros oficiales necesitan el armamento necesario para poder proveer una optima seguridad a los estudiantes y empleados. Entiendo que esto causará molestia pero creemos que es de vital importancia. Los rifles no serán portados por los oficiales durante la vigilancia, solamente serán usados en casos de extrema emergencia”, comentó Olsen-Binks. “En momentos de emergencia en donde las vidas de nuestros estudiantes y maestros estén en peligro, nuestros oficiales necesitan responder eficazmente”.
Olsen-Binks añadió que los rifles, diseñados en primera instancia para ser utilizados por el Comando de Operaciones Especiales de los Estados Unidos (USSOCOM por sus siglas en ingles), deberán ser resguardados en una bóveda especial y solo pueden ser utilizados en casos de extrema emergencia, incluyendo incidentes de parapeto y tiroteos como el ocurrido en el estado de Connecticut en diciembre pasado en donde fallecieron 27 personas, entre ellas 20 niños.
El jefe de policía del distrito Billy Green, explicó que el uso de los rifles requirió un entrenamiento de 40 horas, mismo que fue llevado a cabo durante las vacaciones de Navidad. Green añadió que es imperativo que los agentes del orden tengan acceso a armas de grueso calibre ya que les brinda más seguridad al momento de defender a personas inocentes.
“Sabemos que los criminales llegan incluso portando chalecos contra balas. Nuestros revólveres no son capaces de atravesar esos chalecos a la distancia, por eso necesitamos este tipo de armamento. Esta es una decisión que tomé y no me arrepiento. Además, esto no es nuevo. Este tipo de rifles han sido utilizados por el departamento desde principios del año 2000 cuando solo habían 6 o 7 oficiales del orden”, indicó Green. “La comunidad debe estar tranquila y debe saber que nosotros estamos para proteger a los estudiantes y maestros y que haremos lo necesario para lograr nuestro objetivo”.
Sin embargo, la miembro de la Junta Educativa Leticia García, se opuso tajantemente a la idea alegando que los rifles no son necesarios en los planteles escolares y que la Superintendente tomó una decisión arbitraria y unilateral para armar al departamento de policía.
“Estoy horrorizada. No creo que exista la necesidad de este tipo de armas en nuestras escuelas de secundaria y preparatoria. Este es otro ejemplo de la administración excediendo sus facultades delegadas por la Superintendente. La Junta de Educación tiene el derecho y deben ser informada de la intención de convertir nuestras escuelas en zonas militarizadas sin la aprobación adecuada y sin antecedentes de problema en la comunidad”, comentó García. “Como madre de un estudiante del distrito estoy indignada por esta compra y como Miembro de la Junta estoy frustrada por las acciones inapropiadas de la Superintendente de usar fondos públicos para pagar por este tipo de armas y municiones”.
Barbara Chávez, miembro de la Junta Educativa, expresó encontrarse entre la espada y la pared debido a que mientras está de acuerdo en que la policía tiene como responsabilidad proteger a los estudiantes, también se opone a los rifles de grueso calibre.
“Lo único que me consuela es que no serán portados por lo oficiales todos los días abiertamente, ni estarán en las patrullas. Me preocupa la seguridad de los estudiantes pero también me preocupa la reacción de la comunidad. Esto puede crear división en la comunidad y aumentar la falta de confianza en la policía”, comentó Chávez.
El distrito escolar nunca ha sufrido un tiroteo dentro de ningún plantel escolar, dijo Olsen-Binks; sin embargo, más vale prevenir que lamentar, añadió.
El distrito escolar administra 45 escuelas para un total aproximado de 42,000 estudiantes, de los cuales poco mas de 34,000 son de origen Hispano. El distrito es uno de los pocos en el Sur de California en contar con su propio departamento de policía y de tener una relación muy estrecha con el departamento de policía de la ciudad de Fontana.