Arizona Sheriff Uses Kids in School Safety Posse Training

Volunteers from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s volunteer posse, two dozen young people and even Hollywood action star Steven Seagal are preparing for a live-fire exercise with paintball-style ammunition, at a closed Fountain Hills school, to simulate a school shooting and their response to it. 

Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that posse members are as qualified as deputies to act as law enforcers and no one should worry about their ability to safely protect our schools so he is staging this exercise to counter critics who say he is endangering children’s lives by utilizing civilians to do law enforcers’ jobs. 

They also take Arpaio to task for announcing this new program so soon after the Newtown, Connecticut, school massacre, saying he is grandstanding for political gain and media attention.

The exercise is scheduled for Saturday, February 9, 2013.