East Noble sheriff proposes arming teachers

KENDALLVILLE, Ind. (WANE) - Law enforcement agencies agree one of the main problems in recent mass shootings around the United States is police get to the scene too late.

Wednesday evening, Noble County Sheriff Doug Harp began his process in changing that statistic. He met with the East Noble School Board to present his plan on arming teachers in the district's schools.

"We have to have some sort of system in place like this to really truly get another layer of security for our kids," Harp said.

Harp described schools as a soft target, or a place a suspect will go knowing there's no armed presence, and he or she can do a lot of damage with little resistance.

"Schools are a soft target because guns are not allowed on school property, and we can lock every door and lock every window, but it's not going to keep someone out of  the building, and so that's the part that makes it very difficult and challenging for us to stop, and by having the armed staff members, it can either stop it or slow down, by us some time," said Ann Linson, the East Noble superintendent.

The teacher, or special deputy, would be a staff member recommended by the school but ultimately chosen by the sheriff. The person would go through the same training new police officers go through with a few minor exceptions like traffic law. Deputies would also undergo a review every year.

"We want to be sure that if someone volunteers to do this they are truly prepared physically and mentally," Linson said.

Harp also said the process is relatively inexpensive. It would only cost the school district a couple hundred dollars to add each deputy to the sheriff department insurance, and all of the weapons needed have been donated.