Colorado School District Arms Security Guards With Rifles

By SADIE GURMAN AND DONNA BRYSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Apr 19, 2016, 8:55 PM ET

A suburban Denver school district is arming its security staff with military-style semiautomatic rifles in case of a school shooting or other violent attack, a move that appears unprecedented even as more schools arm employees in response to mass violence elsewhere.

The Douglas County School District guards are former law enforcement officers and already carry handguns.

District security director Richard Payne said he decided to spend more than $12,000 on the Bushmaster brand rifles for the district's eight armed officers to give them the same tools as law enforcement, including the sheriff's deputies they train with. Payne said the rifles will be kept locked in patrol cars, not in the schools.

Payne said he made the decision to buy assault rifles himself and the school board has not discussed it. The superintendent approved the purchase after lengthy discussion, district spokeswoman Paula Hans said.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]