Search found 9 matches

by Charles L. Cotton
Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:54 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

oljames3 wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
oljames3 wrote:From KR Training's course description (There is a typo in the description. The Shooting Under Duress shooting exercise developed by DPS is 120 rounds, not 50 rounds.)
That addresses the round count, but not deviating from the required course. I've heard a lot of good things about Karl and this course is probably excellent, but if it violates the DPS instructions not to deviate from the specified course, then there may be a problem.

Chas.
To be clear, Karl assured me that all was done as specified by DPS. Just as in an LTC class, there was time for additional material, exercises, and instruction. I apologize for not counting rounds for each course of fire.
"Not counting rounds . . .[?]" My comments were not based upon your description of the class, but upon the express language in the course description. I understand there was a typo in the number of rounds required for the shooting under duress segment. Typos can happen to anyone. However, the class is listed as 15 hrs (the statutory minimum) and the description includes shooting drills other than what DPS requires and allows. If the class is the minimum required 15 hrs, then there isn't any extra time for additional drills. I'm not trying to nit-pick. When a State authorized Certificate is being issued, then all course requirements must be met.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:46 am
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

oljames3 wrote:From KR Training's course description (There is a typo in the description. The Shooting Under Duress shooting exercise developed by DPS is 120 rounds, not 50 rounds.)
That addresses the round count, but not deviating from the required course. I've heard a lot of good things about Karl and this course is probably excellent, but if it violates the DPS instructions not to deviate from the specified course, then there may be a problem.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:43 am
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

locke_n_load wrote:Charles, I have copied and pasted this message, unedited, onto my facebook business page (LTC/Firearms training), and given citation that it is from published from texasfirearmscoalition.com. Is that acceptable?
Absolutely! Thanks for publishing it. We need to get people behind this concept so we can get it done. It took four legislative sessions (8 yrs.) to pass campus-carry, thee sessions to exempt volunteer church security from the Private Security Act and I could go on. We cannot afford to make this a multi-session battle.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:47 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

eureka40 wrote:Do you have to be a school employee (as I am not) to take the Texas School Safety Course?

If not, does anyone have a link to sign up for the course around Austin/Georgetown?

Thanks in advance.
As already noted, you do not have to be a school employee. In response to requests, I'm considering offering the class in the Houston area.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:43 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

RoyGBiv wrote:I'm certainly in favor of Charles' proposal, but the likelihood of school districts welcoming armed volunteers is, I'm betting, miniscule.
That will be addressed in the bill. As I said earlier, politics and personal opinions will not be elevated above protecting schools/kids.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:37 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

When I mentioned military veterans and former police officers, I was talking about a potential group of volunteers. I'm not going into details about the bill, but I'm not about to include unnecessary and problematic "eligibility" requirements to be exempt from the Private Security Act. There are no such eligibility requirement for volunteer church security personnel and there hasn't been a single problem. Please don't play into the hands of the opposition by creating an issue/problem where none exists.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:34 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

locke_n_load wrote:So under the law now, for a teacher to carry in a school, they just need their LTC and permission from the school/district right? The school safety program is just an additional certification they can get if they or the school wanted or required them to have it, right?
Correct, but if the person is providing any function that comes within the Private Security Act, then the volunteer must comply with the Act. The purpose of my bill is to extend the exemption to schools and not just churches.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:01 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Re: Let's Really Protect Our Schools

Scott B. wrote:. . . Most districts will refuse such services, I imagine, BUT they won't be able to credibly say something can't be done outside of a constitutional convention or feel good/do nothing AWB legislation.
That will be covered in the bill. Politics and/or personal opinions will not be elevated above protecting schools and kids.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:24 pm
Forum: Texas Firearms Coalition
Topic: Let's Really Protect Our Schools
Replies: 74
Views: 48136

Let's Really Protect Our Schools

Re-published with permission from http://www.TexasFirearmsCoalition.com. Permission is granted to republish without editing.

Although I have been in the political and legislative arenas for almost all of my adult life, I am not going to get into politics while parents and other family members are grieving as a result of a mass-murderer in Florida. People who know me will find this statement unusual, but I don’t care one whit about politics, political parties, or left v. right. I don’t want to merely make a point, I want to make a difference. I want to change Texas law so that schools can tap into a giant reserve of experience and talent to protect our kids in school. The cost to schools will be little or nothing, so budget constraints will not be a factor.
In 2017, we changed Texas law to exempt volunteer church security personal from the Texas Private Security Act. This much-needed change allows people to volunteer to serve on their church’s safety team without fear of violating the law. Volunteers who have a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC) can also carry their self-defense sidearms while serving. Thousands of church members are now serving their congregation at no charge making churches much safer than they were prior to September 1, 2017.

Schools should have the same ability to utilize volunteer security personal to help protect our kids. There are many tens of thousands of military veterans and former peace officers who would be willing, no eager, to serve their community and schools by volunteering their experience and expertise to protect schools. Appropriate background checks would be performed on all volunteers and the Legislature could even require such volunteers to have a Texas LTC.

Volunteers who are not military veterans or former peace officers should also be able to serve as volunteers. The Legislature could require these men and women to successfully pass the Texas School Safety Course created by the Texas Dept. of Public Safety in order to serve. (Only LTCs are eligible to take the School Safety Course and receive a certificate.)
I will draft a bill for the 2019 Texas Legislative Session that will accomplish this goal. The only opposition to the volunteer church security bill came from the security industry. Their motive was clear; they wanted to preserve an income stream. The “concerns” about training was merely a smoke screen for their true goal of protecting the industry’s income. We will likely see the same groundless claims raised against a volunteer school security bill, so Texans need to be ready to demand passage of this bill.

I will publish more information on http://www.TexasFirearmsCoalition.com as we get closer to pre-filing for the 2019 legislative session. Be ready to join in the campaign to pass legislation that will truly protect our school kids. As the old saying goes, talk is cheap; it’s time to make a difference.

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