EDITORIAL FROM DAN De FEDERICIS: THE SARATOGA SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ASSIGN POLICE OFFICERS TO ALL SCHOOL BUILDINGS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE MUNICIPAL BORDERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
Ugh. Did this really happen again? Another horrific shooting? In a school, with at least 19 innocent children and a number of teachers killed? Ugh.
Yes, these shootings, most recently at a supermarket in my hometown of Buffalo and now an elementary school in Texas, require our government to perform in a way it simply hasn’t in the past. At the national level the response has to be bipartisan and focused on the citizens – or at least the children. Unfortunately, anyone that knows the slightest bit about the state of this nation’s politics knows that isn’t happening soon – if ever. Sorry for the lack of optimism, but 19 dead kids tends to make me a tad ornery.
Even here in screwed-up New York, where one-party rule is here now – and likely forever – government passes whatever Andrew Cuomo, Kathy Hochul, or the leader dujour commands. But in the end state government fails us as well. To wit: A State Task Force created to “examine, evaluate and determine how to prevent mass shootings by domestic terrorists.” was part of a law signed with great fanfare by Governor Cuomo in 2020 not only has never met, but most of its members were never even appointed. State leaders have been scrambling to fill the appointments and get the committee to finally meet since the horrible shootings in Buffalo. That’s not failure folks, that’s colossal failure.
So where am I going with this? My point is that the federal government has failed us on this issue and so has the state. Local government, however, at least has the power, wherewithal, and (most importantly) moral obligation (I gave up on the state and feds having morals) to step in where the other levels of government have failed and at the very least protect the kids. Jesus Christ folks, take some quick and simple steps to protect the kids.
I’ll focus on the Saratoga Springs City Council, as they’re front and center. The City Council should meet today – not Monday, not Friday, not Thursday night – but today (Wednesday 5/25) in emergency session and direct the police department to offer every public and private school within the city limits at least one full-time police officer to be assigned inside each school building until the end of the school year. We must be prepared for (more) copycat assailants – likely an easily-radicalized young man – but really from any crazed lunatic. And God I sure hope the school leaders accept such an offer.
Yes assigning officers to this many school buildings would seriously alter police operations – but that’s what reassignments and OT budgets are for. I could not think of a better use of an OT budget than assinging officers to schools – and there’s only a few weeks left before summer break anyway so the powers that be can figure out different plans and funding mechanisms for September. But for now let’s not bicker over who will pay for it – let the city protects its most precious citizens – its children – and get this done.
I would hope the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office and the New York State Police could cover the school buildings outside areas covered by municipal departments. Obviously this is layered but not necessarily complicated. Just get it done.
And to all you sociologists out there: yes the problem is deeper and more complicated that this simple fix (proposed by a retired cop) would indicate, but today we need to quickly address the threat from some deranged copycat out there who is going to charge into a school somewhere and destroy lives, families and communities. Yes, in the near future we need to design and build levies and drainage canals – but good lord – today we need to fill sandbags.
We can create more task forces, studies, policy initiatives and partisan fights (with obligatory finger pointing) at the federal and state levels tomorrow. TODAY, local government needs to move quickly and serve its citizens – all of them, but especially the children – and get cops into every school building. Parents putting their kids on the bus or dropping them off need to know that there is more than a locked door and sharp #2 pencils protecting their children. With things as they are today, anything less from our local governments and school officials would be a gross abdication of duties.
Saratoga Springs City Council, other municipal officials, school administators and police officials: Get this done! Show us you are effective leaders that prioritize protecting our children.
Dan De Federicis is the founder and publisher of Saratoga Report
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(Note: A link to this will be sent to each Saratoga Springs City Council Member, as well as a number of other government and school officials, prior to 7am Wednesday May 25, 2022.)