Sheriff training university faculty to carry guns on campus

WEBVTT WESH 2'S GREG FOX GIVES US ANEXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE TRAININGAND THE DEBATE>> FIVE ROUNDS ON THE LEFTTARGET.SHOOTER, STAND BY.FIRE.>> THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSEAGAINST AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.BUT THESE ARE SCHOOL TEACHERSAND STAFF.CHRIS IS A VICE PRESIDENT ATSOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, ACHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN LAKELAND.LEADERS ASKED THEM CELLS -- >> HAVE WE DONE EVERYTHING WECAN TO ENSURE TO A PARENT ANDSTUDENT THAT THEY ARE SAFETY ISOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY?OUR CONCERN WAS THE LACK OFREADINESS AND THE SHERIFFBROUGHT A POSITIVE SOLUTION TOTHE TABLE.>> THAT SOLUTION WAS ARMING ANDTRAINING EMPLOYEES TO BE SPECIALDEPUTIES.THEY WILL ONLY HAVE AUTHORITY TORESPOND TO POTENTIALLY DEADLYTHREATS.>> THIS IS TAYLOR -- THIS ISNARROWLY TAILORED.>> THE 132 HOURS OF TRAINING ISMORE THAN HE DEMANDS OF CADETS.THE NEXT PHASE OF TRAINING AFTERTHEY GET USED TO USING THEIRFIREARMS IS USE OF FORCETRAINING.IN THIS SITUATION IT IS ASIMULATION AND ACTIVE SHOOTERTRAINING.>> SOME SAY PUBLIC SAFETYEXPERIMENTS ARE ILLEGAL.>> HE IS TRYING TO EXPLOIT ALOOPHOLE THAT DOESN'T EXIST.>> IF THEY ARE NOT ON THEPAYROLL, THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZEDTO CARRY A FIREARM ON SCHOOLGROUND.>> THEY ARE SPECIAL DEPUTYSHERIFFS.LIKE SHERIFFS MAY APPOINTDEPUTIES TO ACT UNDER THEM WHOSHALL HAVE THE SME POWERS THESHERIFF APPOINTING THEM.RACHEL AND JORDAN JACOB OURSTUDENTS AND WELCOME THE ADDEDPROTECTION.THEY WERE CALLED THE SHOOTINGSAND 2014 WITH THREE STUDENTSSHOT TO BEFORE THE GUNMAN KILLEDBY POLICE.>> THAT COULD HAVE BEENPREVENTED OR EVEN STOPPEDQUICKER.>> I DO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUTANYTHING BAD HAPPENING AT OURSCHOOL.>> FOR NOW, STANDING GUARD OVER

A Central Florida sheriff is training faculty at a local private university in law enforcement tactics and will soon consider them "special deputies" capable of stopping an active shooter. After seeing news coverage of mass shootings, like the one that left 49 dead and dozens injured at the Pulse nightclub a year ago, leaders at Southeastern University in Lakeland asked themselves if they were doing everything possible to keep students safe. Vice president of Southeastern University, Chris Owen, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd presented a solution they both believed would increase safety. That "solution" was arming and training university employees to be "special deputies." Judd said the “special deputies” will only have the authority to respond to potentially deadly threats. “This is narrowly tailored and a narrow function clearly to stop the most egregious, heinous events that could occur to the students,” Judd said. Florida lawmakers recently declined to pass bills that would have allowed civilians to carry guns on campus, and some say the Polk County program is illegal. Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo-Smith said Judd is trying to exploit a loophole that doesn't exist. If they are not on the payroll, regardless of whether they are wearing a name tag that says they have a special role or not, they are not law enforcement and they are not authorized to carry a firearm on school grounds, Guillermo-Smith said. Under Florida law, "sheriffs may appoint deputies to act under them who shall have the same power as the sheriff appointing them." “They are special deputy sheriffs,” Judd said. Southeastern students Rachel and Jordan Jacob welcome the extra protection. They recall the Florida State University shootings in 2014, when three students were shot before the gunman was killed by police. “That could have been prevented, or even stopped a lot quicker,” Jordan Jacob said. “We're safe, and I don't have to worry about anything bad happening at our school,” Rachel Jacob said.

LAKELAND, Fla. —

A Central Florida sheriff is training faculty at a local private university in law enforcement tactics and will soon consider them "special deputies" capable of stopping an active shooter.

After seeing news coverage of mass shootings, like the one that left 49 dead and dozens injured at the Pulse nightclub a year ago, leaders at Southeastern University in Lakeland asked themselves if they were doing everything possible to keep students safe.

Vice president of Southeastern University, Chris Owen, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd presented a solution they both believed would increase safety.

That "solution" was arming and training university employees to be "special deputies."

Judd said the “special deputies” will only have the authority to respond to potentially deadly threats.

“This is narrowly tailored and a narrow function clearly to stop the most egregious, heinous events that could occur to the students,” Judd said.

Florida lawmakers recently declined to pass bills that would have allowed civilians to carry guns on campus, and some say the Polk County program is illegal.

Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo-Smith said Judd is trying to exploit a loophole that doesn't exist.

If they are not on the payroll, regardless of whether they are wearing a name tag that says they have a special role or not, they are not law enforcement and they are not authorized to carry a firearm on school grounds, Guillermo-Smith said.

Under Florida law, "sheriffs may appoint deputies to act under them who shall have the same power as the sheriff appointing them."

“They are special deputy sheriffs,” Judd said.

Southeastern students Rachel and Jordan Jacob welcome the extra protection.

They recall the Florida State University shootings in 2014, when three students were shot before the gunman was killed by police.

“That could have been prevented, or even stopped a lot quicker,” Jordan Jacob said.

“We're safe, and I don't have to worry about anything bad happening at our school,” Rachel Jacob said.

Sheriff training university faculty to carry guns on campus

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