Menu
- Fire destroys mobile home in New Madrid (5/1/24)
- Thanking our telecommunicators (4/17/24)
- Officers face many difficult situations (3/27/24)
- Arson ruled in New Madrid blaze (3/19/24)
- Charge filed after driver damages road sign then leaves the scene (3/13/24)
- Arson suspected in New Madrid fire (3/6/24)
- Four children injured in vehicle crash (2/28/24)
Opinion
Learning from Uvalde
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
NEW MADRID, Mo. - On Monday I attended a meeting in Jefferson City with other police chiefs and sheriffs from around the state to discuss the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
The speaker, a retired police officer and an instructor with Texas State University, gave a debriefing of the incident and talked about what could have been done better.
The incident at Uvalde was one of the latest in a long line of school shootings that could have not only been prevented, but also handled better after it occurred. As police officers, we have to be able to be critical of our own actions when necessary to improve future response.
The shooting in Uvalde could have been prevented by one simple step - keeping all doors locked when school is in session. The shooter entered through a door that was, inadvertently, unlocked; the only classroom the shooter entered was the the only one with an unlocked door.
In the past, I have always praised the New Madrid County R-1 School Board for their dedication to school safety. They are still leading the way in the state of Missouri when it comes to keeping our kids safe. As one small part of their daily routine, armed school resource officers in every school in the district ensure that doors are locked. We should be thankful they are there to prevent the type of tragedy that happened in Uvalde.