Mobile Co. resource officers remain gun free

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Early this year a bill was sent to Montgomery which would have allowed Mobile County school resource officers to carry weapons on campus.

In light of the Sandy Hook tragedy, FOX10 wanted to know what happened to the bill, so we asked some questions and received the answer.

State Rep Rusty Glover introduced the bill in April. It passed the senate, but then got held up in the house.

“One of the local legislators, who was against the bill, killed it. There were some people who were concerned to have a gun on campus of any kind,” said State Rep and Mobile County educator Rusty Glover.

Mobile County School Board Member Dr. Reginald Crenshaw was against arming resource officers earlier this year.

On Dec.17, FOX10 News spoke with Dr. Crenshaw just before his tour of Tanner Williams Elementary School to see if his opinion has changed.

Dr. Crenshaw remains against the armed officer idea.

He said, “Well, you end up with a possible shootout."

Instead, he said he wants to install metal detectors at some Mobile County schools, but the cost is high. Each detector costs about $5,000.

“We can look for some grants and what not. And a life -- the value of a life is important, so it maybe that we make some sacrifices and find some money to equip our schools with the metal detectors,” said Dr. Crenshaw.

Glover will reintroduce the bill to arm resource officers next year.

“Maybe people will realize that there has to be someone on campus that can stand up and defend the student body,” said Glover.

Mobile County has 11 resource officers; all but one has previous law enforcement experience.  Resource officers carried guns up until 2006, when the school board ended the practice.