Arming school resources officers without visibly intimidating students and teachers has been a daunting task facing school boards and the law enforcement agencies they rely upon for protection. Florida firearms manufacturer Adams Arms is partnering with law enforcement agencies nationwide to equip officers with foldable AR-15 stocks whose short barrels fit in a wearable multi-tactical backpack ─ and are deployable in seconds.
BROOKSVILLE, Fla., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- According to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), there are currently between 14,000 and 20,000 SROs in service nationwide. Ninety-one percent are armed. (1)(2) The officers operate through 18,000 federal, state, city, and local agencies including 3,081 sheriff departments across the nation. (3) Each day that number grows as school boards around the country increasingly consider, approve funding for and hire SROs or add to an existing force. (4) Adams Arms President, Jason East, points to a logistical problem with effective response time for many officers when faced with an active shooter incident. "Officers forced to store their firearm in a locked safe in the school office or their secured vehicle may waste precious time retrieving it and initiating action to thwart tragedy," notes East. "We looked at our technology and felt there must be a better way to protect students, teachers, and administrators, and yet appease those who question the appearance of guns in schools."
Locking rifles in gun safes in the offices of school resource officers (SROs) is not a new idea nor is having the firearm secured in the officer's vehicle. The NASRO wants officers to be able to go directly to the threat. (5) Large school campuses would lengthen the amount of time it would take an officer to access the firearm from a safe and reach the incident area. The period since the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado has produced active shooter protocols stipulating that the sole focus of first responders is to immediately locate and neutralize the shooter or shooters. In active threat situations, such as a recent incident in Bend, Oregon, training and the actual outcome specifically relied on the fact that if an officer is the first one on the scene, he or she is the first one going in. (6)
Critics, concerned that a push to arm teachers in the classroom or have an armed presence on campus would turn schools into militarized zones, (7) would have their fears allayed by School Resource Officers wearing special high-tech backpacks; an item students are comfortable seeing every day.
Their solution: Adams Arms foldable stock, short barrel AR-15 rifles fit into a special backpack and can be deployed within seconds. These backpacks also double as an armored vest and contain pry bars and bolt cutters to force entry into locked or chained classrooms and campus doors. "Outfitting law enforcement officers and assigned School Resource Officers with the tools they can immediately use to arm themselves against an active shooter, breach locked and chained doors, and reach children, teachers, and administrators in order to save lives is our ultimate goal at Adams Arms," notes Jason East. "To date, we have shipped over 60 units and are in conversations with dozens of agencies across the country. Our goal is to deploy at least 1,000 units before the end of the year. We will continue to produce these special AR-15s and backpacks as long as there is a demand from law enforcement agencies across the U.S."
East recognizes the concerns of parents, teachers, and administrators charged with educating our nation's children – to foster an environment of safe learning. "At Adams Arms, we designed this package as a means to provide safety in education," says East.
"Our AR-15 piston system, historically a favorite of law enforcement, is seen for its technical merit and reliability, as each use is critical. Training and education demonstrate that the rifle is cleaner, cooler, and more reliable. In short, Adams Arms is there when it counts the most, which helps law enforcement officers feel in control," points out East.
About Adams Arms
In a changing nation where the fastest growing markets of first-time gun owners are millennials, women and people of color, the old public impression of gun owners has faded. Skill proficiency, adventure and empowerment are spearheading the sharp demand for firearms and ammunition, while personal and home defense continues to be a driving force. Adams Arms, headquartered in Brooksville, Florida, is the face of reliable, clean, and cooler AR15 firearms operation with its patented piston drive action—favorites of gun enthusiasts across the country. Known for their years of parts experience and their engineering and design prowess, their Retro-Fit system can be installed by owners or piston-action arms can be purchased new. Adams Arms' proprietary PVD and Melonite® process and their lifetime warranty make their lineup of products dependable for years to come. Adams Arms are there when it counts the most. Visit https://adamsarms.net/
Sources:
1) Sawchuk, Stephen. "School Resource Officers (SROs) Explained", Education Week, 16 November 2021, edweek.org/leadership/school-resource-officer-sro-duties-effectiveness
2) Staff Writer. "How Many School Resource Officers Are There in the United States?", NASRO.org, 2022, nasro.org/faq/
3) Staff Writer. "Law Enforcement in the United States", Wikipedia, 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_States
4) Otte, Emilia. "Madison Board of Education Adds Armed Guards", CT Examiner, 29 August 2022, ctexaminer.com/2022/08/29/madison-board-of-education-adds-armed-guards/
5) Tonsall, Sonseeahray. "Interview with Mac Hardy of NASRO", Fox 40 KTXL in Sacramento, 11 August 2022, nasro.org/news/2022/08/11/in-the-media/sros-might-lack-time-to-access-rifles-nasro-to-fox-40-sacramento/
6) Eadens, Savannah. "Seconds Matter: Training Prepared Bend Officers for Worst Case Shooter Scenario; Enterin a Scene Alone", Oregon Live, 03 September 2022, oregonlive.com/crime/2022/09/seconds-matter-training-prepared-bend-officers-for-worst-case-shooter-scenario-entering-scene-alone.html
7) Sunnucks, Mike. "School Safety Part 4: Seeking Safety After High Profile Shootings, Ensuring Security, Lessening Anxiety, Top Schools' Lists for New Year", Herald and News, 02 September 2022, heraldandnews.com/law_enforcement/school-safety-part-4-seeking-safety-after-high-profile-shootings-ensuring-security-lessening-anxiety-top/article_a8f3cf12-2b17-11ed-8269-1f031dda9c11.html
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SOURCE Adams Arms
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