An armed posse guards schools in Arizona according to a report posted at Christian Science Monitor earlier today. The armed posse who guards the schools was dispatched by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. It's his solution to keeping children in his county safe after December school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut that left 26 people dead, including 20 children.
The armed posse, which was created in 1993 to patrol shopping malls during the holidays, is made up of retired police officers who are volunteering their time to patrol Phoenix area schools. They also "check in when people call police worried about someone's health or safety, transport injured inmates to hospitals, and help with traffic control."
Area parents seemed comfortable with armed volunteers at schools. Karen Brinkman, who has children in Maricopa County public schools, felt it was a smart move.
"I think it's good for the community, I think it's good for the schools," she said. "There needs to be a presence there."
There has been backlash as well. Critics have claimed Arpaio is "exploiting the school tragedy" in Newtown "for self-promotion."
What are your thoughts on Arizona armed posse that guards schools? Do you think it's a good idea?
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