My father wore the badge, so did his father.

I don’t have a photo of my grandfather that wore the badge. My father never spoke of him. I asked about him once as a child. My father stated, “He was a police officer and he was an alcoholic. Don’t ask me about him again.” I never did.

My father wore the badge for a while in South Florida and North Carolina. He died of cancer at age 47. He was 20 years older than me. Before taking my job as a police officer he gave me two pieces of advice;

“If you want people to always like you, find another profession.”

“If you want to be rich someday, find another profession.”

I have heard many “Bad Cop” stories; usually at a party, dinner celebration, family reunion or just about any group setting where someone found out that I was a cop. I used to get a bit pissed and sometimes felt obligated to stick up for the guys in blue. After a while I learned to just take it in stride and change the conversation. Anger was the worst feeling I’d get if the story was legitimate; sometimes police officers do some stupid, criminal things.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

On February 14th, 2018 I was glued to the TV watching the news. Children were pouring out the doors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Another school shooting had taken place. Several were confirmed dead and many wounded.

During the first broadcast, I was waiting to hear the condition of the school resource officer. I knew this school had a resource officer. Was the school resource officer one of the dead? Had he taken out the shooter? For quite a period of time there was no information put out as to what happened to the resource officer.

Then the thought hit me hard, “Oh my God, we was not at the school during the shooting. He was probably at court or left the school property for some reason”.

I thought, “He’s in a world of crap because he failed to call in a street unit to cover his school while he was absent.” I remember telling my friends who were watching the news also, “Of all the days he could be away from the school, a damn shooter arrives.”

Much later,,,, it was revealed that school resource officer Scot Peterson, of the Broward Sheriff’s Office was on the property the entire time of the shooting. He had not been killed by the shooter, he had not been wounded by the shooter; he failed to engage the shooter.

I did not feel anger at first; I felt nausea and shame.

**Broward Sheriff Deputy Scot Peterson-Fox News**

Officer Scot Peterson had stained the badge in the worst way; his failure to do his job contributed to the loss of innocent life.

Before I continue, let me address this theory; tossed around many times in regard to Scot Peterson’s failure to engage.

“You don’t know how you’re going to react in a shooting until you’ve in one.”

BullSh*t is my reply to that theory,,, been there. My response has nothing to do with being a Parris Island alumni. Most of the men and women that I worked with were not graduates of Parris Island or Ft. Benning; but they still engaged shooters and saved lives. Some had been in prior shootings, but most had not.

Deputy Scot Peterson knew that someday he might have to face an evil person.
He was made aware of this possibility the day he graduated from the police academy.
He had many years to prepare himself both physically and mentally for such a possibility.
He chose to bury that possibility so deep in his subconscious, that when the possibility became a reality, he was not ready.
In Deputy Scot Peterson’s case, he had allowed fear to overcome him, resulting in a higher death count and now he’s in a legal fight for his freedom.

“Also, don’t be pulled in by the excuse that “Training and a Stand Down Order” was behind Scot Peterson’s failure to engage.”

It was not policy nor a stand down order that prevented engagement, it was fear. No police officer worth their salt would allow children to die because a stand down order was given.

**BSO Captain Jan Jordan issued “Stand Down” order.-Fox News**

No doubt Broward Sheriff’s Office Captain Jan Jordan was out of her league that day; issuing a stand down order only made the problem worse.

If you look at Captain Jan Jordan’s background experience, she clearly had no business running a street zone.

Thankfully she has resigned and her friend that hired her, Sheriff Scott Isreal has been fired by the Governor.

School Resource Officers

In Miami-Dade and Broward County, whole divisions are dedicated to providing police officers to our public schools. For the most part they do a great job and are staffed by men and women who would have risked their own lives and engaged the Parkland Shooter.

I have never believed that the school police divisions should be a separate entity from the rest of the police department. I would rather see the school police be integrated back into just one department.

I’d like to see the school resource officer position, a “mandatory rotated” position. A requirement of 6 months to a 1 year tour for all officers in their first 5 years on the job.

“Let’s weed out the Scot Peterson’s. That pond is stagnant; let’s get the water flowing!”

An Option for School Safety.

I know of a prominent Catholic high school in Broward County where the school resource officers are active police officers. Some are on the same SWAT team.

Active, meaning they are not getting paid to be school resource officers, they are street officers, but volunteer their off time to guard the children.

In exchange, their children get assistance in the school tuition. Yes, it’s a private school, not a public school, but here’s an example of a school that found a way. An active shooter at this school would literally not survive a full 1 minute before he would be put down.

John Corley- Family Safety-Self Defense.jpg

Our children are our most valuable asset; when will we start treating them as such?

People want to discuss arming teachers, really ??? There are enough qualified men and women to guard our schools now without arming teachers. Make our children a priority and dedicate the funds to protecting them.

Broward Deputy Scot Peterson was arrested on June 4th, 2019 for his failure to act in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

His arrest also included perjury charges. Peterson’s statements after the shooting conflicted with witness statements and video footage.

**Broward Deputy Scot Peterson Arrested- The Daily Caller**

A clear attempt is being made by prosecutors to hold deputy Peterson accountable for his failure to act. I side with the prosecution on this one. How this trial will end, is anyone’s guess.

Thank You for reading ,,,,,,,

Update:

Parkland Shooter Sentenced To Life in Prison.