Plainfield Officials To Weigh Proposal For Gun Safes In Schools
PLAINFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- A proposal involving schools and guns is up for a vote in suburban Plainfield – and it actually involves bringing more guns to schools.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bob Conway reports, the Plainfield Police Department believes it would be a good idea if a gun were at the ready inside local high schools, just in case a potentially deadly situation develops involving an intruder.
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With that in mind, police are asking the district to install gun safes at the schools, where a rifle could be stored and be available for use by an officer assigned to the schools. They include Plainfield North, East and Central, and Plainfield Academy.
Plainfield police chief John Konopek tells the Joliet Herald-News, "It's a very sad statement about society, but we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't (prepare for a worst-case scenario.)"
Plainfield police train annually on how to handle a school shooting and have found that police are better able to handle that type of incident with a long gun, which is more accurate at longer distances.
School district spokesman Tom Hernandez says the board is willing to consider the request and a vote is scheduled for next Monday.
Having the gun safe in the office does not guarantee the officer would be able to reach it in case of an emergency, Konopek said. Patrol officers also keep a rifle in their squad cars.
The gun would simply be another potential tool at their disposal, he said.
"As a parent of two high school kids, I would hope the police agency that's protecting my child would have all the tools and resources to address that type of situation," Konopek said.
The Joliet Herald-News contributed to this report, via the Sun-Times Media Wire.
