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| -Land of the Free |
| Pinellas schools to return 28 M16 rifles |
| 2014-10-05 |
| [TBO] After a firestorm of questions from parents and school board members, the Pinellas County school district’s internal police force will return 28 military surplus M16 assault rifles it purchased. Schools Police Chief Rick Stelljes sent a letter Monday to Superintendent Michael Grego asking him to return the weapons, purchased two months ago through the Department of Defense 1033 Program. School Board Chairwoman Carol Cook said the board didn’t know the guns had been purchased until it was reported by the media. “It was a misstep, for sure,” Cook said. Stelljes and Grego began looking into the equipment after the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Cook said. The tragedy sparked conversations with politicians and school districts about more armed police in schools, as well as increasing other security measures. The 1033 government program supplies discounted, decommissioned military equipment to more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide. It also sold weapons to school police at the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, and the Bay County and Palm Beach County school districts. Because the M16s only cost $50 apiece, the purchase never made it to the school board, Cook said. Usually, purchases under $250 can be approved by the superintendent without the board’s approval. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 Why can't I buy weapons on this program? |
| Posted by: gorb 2014-10-05 11:08 |
| #3 would have a cow Then they could shoot it with the M16's and have a BBQ! |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2014-10-05 09:51 |
| #2 Request, organize, and establish a JROTC program. Of course the anti-American and anti-gun (yes, I know that's mostly redundant) crowd would have a cow. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-10-05 09:40 |
| #1 What they should do is set up a marksmanship team. Had those when I was a kid, and no mass school shootings when I was a kid either. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2014-10-05 09:37 |