concealed gun
A newly-formed group in Federal Way has a plan to put armed volunteers in each of the city's public schools. (AP Photo/file)

Federal Way group pushing for armed volunteers in schools

BY Brandi Kruse  on February 18, 2013 @ 3:37 pm (Updated: 3:55 pm - 2/18/13 )

A newly-formed group in Federal Way has a plan to put armed volunteers in each of the city's public schools.

The group, which will meet formally for the first time on Tuesday, calls itself the School Alliance for Every Student's Tomorrow (SAFEST).

Mark Knapp, a firearm attorney who heads the group, said unpaid volunteers would be the most cost-effective way to prevent a mass shooting like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.

He told KIRO Radio's Dori Monson Show that the volunteers would be trained to the same standards as law enforcement and would also undergo a psychological evaluation.

Knapp said that armed volunteers in plainclothes would be more effective than uniformed officers on campus.

"Because any active shooter has to reckon with the fact that he's going to be met with deadly force if he goes into a school," Knapp said. "He doesn't know where, or when, or from whom that force is going to be applied."

The Federal Way Police Department is opposed to the idea. A police spokesperson tells KING 5 that it already has resource officers in each high school and is prepared to handle a mass shooting scenario.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (65)


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  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    Of course LE is opposed...
    February 18, 2013 3:18 pm
    ... at least in this liberal land.

    I went to an anti-terrorism training class one time. The instructor used several illustrations showing how a terrorist got passed physical security boundaries. I pointed out that, in all three examples, the assailant was stopped by a responsible & trained private citizien... not hte physical barriers.

    Several Seattle & Tacoma LE who were present jumped all over me for that... so did the instructor... what a bunch of dimwits!

    I love and respect LE... they do a tremendous job... but you simply can't be everywhere at once...

    Quite treating us like the enemy

    Quite treating us like incompetants.

    Many of us (by us I mean responsible & trained citizens) can shoot as well or better than you. Many of us have be in real-life emergency or even life/death situations... and handled it fine. Even those of us who are not as trained or experienced as you are still better than having nobody at all present.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Wamoves: Well said.
    February 18, 2013 3:29 pm
    :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    Wamoves Right-- you keep forgetting the Prime Directive of LE
    February 18, 2013 3:43 pm
    If you are NOT a Cop

    you are a CRIMINAL

    A CITIZEN is only a CRIMINAL they have not caught yet

    so sayth, the ALMIGHTY LAWGIVERS

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  • ratrustle wrote...
    This makes so much sense it won't work
    February 18, 2013 3:41 pm
    I love grass roots type activity like this. This is what our grandparents and forefathers would have done in this situation. But, I would expect a lawsuit from the "well intentioned" LE union that will attempt to show that this would interfere with their work environment. I'm all for ANYTHING that sends the right message to the ill-intentioned person who thinks that a "gun-free" zone is easy pickings. Be it a school, movie theater, city park, etc. etc.
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  • rational wrote...
    While on the topic of gun control why not do a story on the Nazi democrat party's latest bill, Senate bill 5737?
    February 18, 2013 4:30 pm
    Think Nazi is too far to describe democrats in WA state? Nah...

    Forget police drones flying over your house. How about police coming inside, once a year, to have a look around?...

    “In order to continue to possess an assault weapon that was legally possessed on the effective date of this section, the person possessing shall ... safely and securely store the assault weapon. The sheriff of the county may, no more than once per year, conduct an inspection to ensure compliance with this subsection.”

    In other words, come into homes without a warrant to poke around. Failure to comply could get you up to a year in jail.

    Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020373291_westneat17xml.html

    That's right, the American Nazi party wants to have local LEO's show up unannounced without a warrant and be able to demand entrance into your house and you'll be forced to comply under penlty of 1 year in prison. I guess they figure they need to fill the space the pot smokers will free up with law abiding gun owners.

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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Nope nope and nope. Its nothing more than an uncontrolled feeding frenzy.
    February 18, 2013 5:37 pm
    I don't think a bunch of gungho Republicans need to be walking the schools with guns. intentions will start out good and after a while some idiot Teabagger is going to shoot a kid on accident because he is black. What is needed is well paid and well trained armed guards. Pony up and pay professionals to protect, or arm volunteer teachers. Nothing more will do.
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  • adiru wrote...
    Political name calling based on zero facts
    February 18, 2013 5:48 pm
    Do you have facts that they are Republicans? You have no idea whether the volunteers are of any partisan party and you shoot your hate rants. This type of behavior of emotion rather than from facts and logic is rather childish.
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Dont give me that garbage adiru,
    February 19, 2013 3:12 am
    First of all, 99% of the "rants" here are based on the now, and it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out what party is the god gays and guns party. But if you need facts, do some research and find out what political group are pushing for guns at schools across the US...Democrats? Nope. What political group is scared that limiting mag sizes is anti gun, Democrats? Nope. And one more thing, why are you not calling out Republicans for the same thing? Probably because you are a hypocrite.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Did you ever stop to think?
    February 19, 2013 10:10 am
    I'm not a Republican so I'm not a hypocrite. Did you ever stop to think that the police that you depend on so much for your own personal safety are comprised of all beliefs and political affiliations? That's right. A cop that you call to rescue you might be a Republican. Shudder at that thought. Get it through your head that everybody doesn't have to think like you and that this country is a republic based on laws and the constitution, not from advice given by you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    shut it adiru,
    February 19, 2013 3:22 pm
    people don't have to think like you either.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GoldFish wrote...
    fartface1
    February 18, 2013 6:02 pm
    How exactly are volunteer teachers better than trained volunteers that aren't teachers? I don't see the logic there, did you actually think that through before you said it? Or do you just say stuff for the sake of saying stuff? I do agree that hired security is probably the way to go however, because it'll be all but impossible to find enough volunteers to guard schools. I'm also not even going to acknowledge your teaparty killing kid because he's black comment because it is simply so absurd.
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Isnt it obvious?
    February 19, 2013 3:23 am
    Volunteer teachers can conceal. Nobody would know what teachers are armed. On the other hand a different man or woman randomly walking around a school everyday with or without a cwp is very easy to spot, and would be the first target and victim before the same nut case went inside to shoot your kids.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    Well, now that you've settled down.....
    February 19, 2013 11:43 am
    teachers as a group, are mostly liberal (that means Democrat...), and would not be willing to accept that responsibility, you know, not being part of thier duties as defined by a contract.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Teachers are mostly liberal? Not willing to accept responsibility?
    February 19, 2013 3:24 pm
    ...you are a Conservative that flunked out of school aren't you!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    That voice sounds like...
    February 18, 2013 8:55 pm
    Fart with force...typical lefty talk. Hear it all the time...still stinks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    oh bit me, you call yourself po_guy!
    February 19, 2013 3:25 am
    That either means you are a coprophiliac or are a police officer, in what case its the same anyway.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • getitallright wrote...
    Your Screen Name Describes You
    February 19, 2013 1:07 am
    Why do you believe this group is comprised of "Teabaggers", as you call them? Might they just want to help out in the community by volunteering? And HOW, by your thinking, could someone shoot a person "on accident" (you probably meant "by accident," but clearly you are somewhat illiterate), when they did so "because he is black"??? Wouldn't that be "on-purpose?"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Its so obvious that it smacks you and you dont see it.
    February 19, 2013 3:30 am
    Two kids fighting, and a volunteer with a gun comes to the rescue. One kid yells, "hes got a gun!" as often it happens when kids want to break up a fight, seen it myself several times and the volunteer pulls his weapon. One kid, a larger kid of a different ethnicity pulls a small black pencil bag from his pocket and WHAM! the volunteer shoots and kills the kid. I give this scenario less than 90 days before it plays out if the proposal is accepted.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    FartFace....
    February 19, 2013 11:45 am
    You are the only racist I see posting here.............
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    can you really SEE others it that room with you?
    February 19, 2013 3:27 pm
    better buts some pant on then because they might see you back!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Obviousman wrote...
    "I give this scenario less than 90 days before it plays out if the proposal is accepted."
    February 21, 2013 9:42 am
    Of course you do, "fartforce1." You and all the Chicken Littles. You know what makes a good drinking game? Watching you guys trot out the doom and gloom over and over, to get shot down by actual experience like clay pigeons. Every time anyone proposes loosening any gun restriction, hoplophobes like you boil out of the woodwork, predicting Dodge City, Blood In The Streets, and Death Over Fender Benders. And the amazing thing is, you have a perfect 100% record of being 100% wrong. You were wrong about concealed carry ("the Gunshine State"). You were wrong about the expiration of the so-called "assault weapons ban" ("guns that are only good for one thing: killing the most people in the shortest time!") You were wrong about guns on campuses in Utah ("asking for trouble!") You were wrong about firearms in National Parks ("putting the safety of visitors at risk!") You were wrong when states started allowing guns inside restaurants that served alcohol ("Whoa, guns in bars!") And you are wrong now about allowing guns in schools. We heard this same panicky nonsense in my state when a restaurant bill was up for a vote. It passed, and after two years we're still waiting for our very first incident of firearms abuse in a restaurant or bar. Or a National Park. Or a Utah campus. Or from the proportion of "assault weapons" used in crimes. Or from licensees. In fact, violent crime is DOWN in all the places that have liberalized firearms laws. The real wonder is that anybody bothers to listen to you panic-mongers anymore. But I guess it's still true that there's a new sucker born every minute.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Basso wrote...
    Police....
    February 18, 2013 5:49 pm
    Where are our local elected Sheriff's? I don't see any of them standing up and saying this is a bad idea. Are they all going to continue to let this go? What happened to upholding and defending the Constitution? Scary stuff folks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    Sounds like a good start
    February 18, 2013 5:53 pm
    I don't have any problem with this based on what I have read and seen so far. Obviously there will be some work to do to get the folks stepping up to be ready and what not but I don't think this would hurt at all. I say keep up the discussion and see where this leads, the police don't have enough money to fully fund something like this so lets think outside of the box and see if this can work.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwoTrees wrote...
    Federal Way group pushing for armed volunteers in schools
    February 18, 2013 6:03 pm
    Smells like good old 'American Can Do-ism'. People stepping up and taking responsibility for their child's safety.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    No thanks
    February 18, 2013 6:06 pm
    I don't want an idiot with a gun protecting my son nor endangering my son. They can go kick rocks with that idea.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • getitallright wrote...
    No Thanks to You
    February 19, 2013 1:15 am
    Why assume it would be an 'idiot'? Might it be a conscientious volunteer who has had the necessary training, and could blend in with the school environment? If a shooter KNOWS that there may be someone armed, and who might threaten their plans, I doubt they will be so willing to enter the school in the first place.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    Sports Guru....
    February 19, 2013 11:47 am
    I respect your opinion, but they are talking about training equal to law enforcement, and phycologically vetted. Wopuld you rather your kids had no protection?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Won't be necessary
    February 18, 2013 6:13 pm
    WA libtards are going to save us from ourselves with SB 5737: “In order to continue to possess an assault weapon that was legally possessed on the effective date of this section, the person possessing shall ... safely and securely store the assault weapon. The sheriff of the county may, no more than once per year, conduct an inspection to ensure compliance with this subsection.”
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    they want to make sure
    February 18, 2013 6:15 pm
    A baby in the crib is not posing with it for a facebook photo.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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