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Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones on arming teachers in schools

School districts ought to be allowed to decide for themselves, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones told ABC10 News.

Taking that position, Jones said in an e-mail there should not be a “one-size-fits-all” approach in the state of California.

“I do not advance an opinion on whether I think it is smart, advisable, foolish, etc. for teachers to be armed,” Jones said. “Only that districts should be able to make that decision for themselves based on the community(ies) they serve.”

Arming teachers in schools is only one part of the discussion on school safety, Jones said. He elaborated on the security discussions schools should be having.

“On most high school campuses in the region there are armed police officers,” Jones said. “These School Resource Officers provide a greater deterrent and measure of security but also enhance the relationship between students and law enforcement.”

"Those school resource officer programs are critical programs and necessary to recognizing threats against students before they happen," Jones said.

Schools may want to consider single point entries, better emergency notification systems, and stronger classroom security, Jones said. He added that mental health treatment and the accessibility of firearms are also topics to consider discussing.

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