It continues to happen – kids go to school expecting a routine day only to be gunned down, leaving family and classmates in anguish and grief.

In the background, a national debate rages on: How do we stop this senseless carnage? Restrict access to weapons, arm teachers or fortify campuses?

Following the latest school mass shooting in Florida Feb. 14, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Capt. Hank Brandimarte went before the town council Feb. 20 to outline MCSO preparation for such an incident.

“This is our worst nightmare,” Brandimarte said.

However, he said that even when the limelight of a recent incident is not on, the Sheriff’s Office is vigilant and preparing to respond if a call should come.

“I’m here to tell you we take school safety seriously and hopefully mitigate some of your fears,” Brandimarte said. “We have an excellent relationship with the Fountain Hills Unified School District and [Superintendent] Dr. [Patrick] Sweeney.”

He added that MCSO does an ongoing threat assessment for the schools.

Brandimarte thanked the council for its support and funding for a school resource officer for the district. He said that deputy has attended national active shooter training and local deputies are scheduled to attend similar training and a drill in Queen Creek in March. That session was scheduled prior to the recent Florida incident.

Brandimarte said he is also working to hold a similar training session at Fountain Hills High School.

“It is important for deputies to be familiar with the setting,” Brandimarte said. “That is why we plan to do it here and soon.

“…We take what we do here very seriously. We are getting our people trained, some of which can be counterintuitive; [for instance] we are the first to arrive and go in searching out the threat, we are not to stop to help the injured.”

Brandimarte explained that the school resource officer (SRO) serves as armed campus security. Although based at the high school, he will spend time at all three schools – the middle school and elementary school. The elementary school time is generally spent on educational programs.

“He will handle minor threats and communicate with students,” Brandimarte added.

Prevention

What has become something of a mantra in today’s volatile world – “see something, say something” – is the best approach to prevention, according to Brandimarte.

Fountain Hills has been on the leading edge of implementing and using the Text-A-Tip system.

“As a community we need to take responsibility for what we know,” Brandimarte said. “We follow up on every tip we receive, but tips are not proof of wrongdoing; they need to be specific and credible.

“We need to keep the balance between individual rights and safety.”

Personal safety for those who find themselves faced with a shooting incident can be a difficult individual choice, according to Brandimarte.

“You can run, you can hide or you can fight,” he continued. “If you chose to fight, do so with intensity and commitment.”

Based on the discussion, threats and investigations become more difficult when dealing with cyberspace.

“I appreciate your aggressiveness, but I’m not confident there is much you can do [related to a social media threat, for instance],” Councilman Alan Magazine said.

Brandimarte said the individual rights of expression that go with social media can be difficult to deal with.

Mayor Linda Kavanagh thanked Brandimarte for what he and MCSO are doing to prepare.

“It is sad we have come to this,” she said.