So today, at my office, we are wearing blue in solidarity for the two Westerville OH Police Officers slain just over a week ago. Westerville is a bedroom community where police officers go to work in a safer environment than one in a city might deal with. They responded to a home due to a 911 call and hangup, and walked into a trap. The killer, a known felon, who had purchased a firearm through a straw dealer who is in custody now as well.
On the same day, we are getting word that the school deputy in the Parkland, FL shooting last week stepped down after video surveillance found that he did not choose to go into the school and confront the former student responsible for the death of 17 students. In the civilian police courses I have taken, this is the same attitude during Columbine and cost a number of lives. SWAT trained officers know this, but any deputies assigned to a school had better damn well be ready to storm into a hail of bullets to defend our children. And Sheriff Israel is playing up his anti-gun rhetoric, but not how his officers dropped the ball on this costing lives of our youth.
Officers are just like people... some are willing to do their job as necessary, and take the risks each day to serve and protect the citizens of their community while others such as the former deputy in FL are nothing more than a person willing to put forth the minimal amount of effort in their jobs.
It is for these reasons that I believe that those citizens who are able and willing to defend themselves as well as their families and loved ones. However, keep in mind, that if you choose to carry a firearm for this... you must do the following:
- Be trained... and I am not talking just a one or two day course, but continue to train at any given opportunity.
- Practice, practice, practice
- Be prepared that you might have to do the most unthinkable thing possible and that is to take a human life. If this happens, you will need to be prepared to handle this for the rest of your life.
None of these should be choices to be made lightly, and you need to be in agreement with all 3 before strapping on a sidearm and stating your 2nd Amendment rights.