New bill seeks to arm Viginia school security officers

New legislation that would authorize school security officers to be armed with stun guns, pepper spray and similar weapons is advancing in the General Assembly. Security officers/guards are not sworn law enforcement officers and are not allowed to be armed under current law. Delegate Mark Cole is the Spotsylvania County Republican who introduced the new bill. He stated that school security officers should be better equipped to respond in the event of an armed intruder. Other opponents, including Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe’s administration, worry that stun guns and other such weapons could potentially be turned against students. It was also acknowledged that Cole’s bill did not include prior training. The bill has passed the House of Delegates and was endorsed Monday on a 3-2 party-line vote by a Republican-controlled Senate subcommittee.