One more...

So... I'm really not sure what I want to write about. There are several things, but I think I'll try this one on for size...

Well, I don't have the time right now to do a whole lot more research, but so far I've come up with the figures of approximately two hundred students killed, and at least three hundred wounded by school shootings.

Probably the most recent shooting you can name is that of the Virginia Tech shooter.

I can't find the link to it, so perhaps I'll scan it off of something or another sitting around campus. But basically, the UCA PD recieved 16 new assault rifles, ostensibly to "keep [the kids] safe".

Uhh... excuse me?

What possible reason could the UCA PD have for needing assault rifles? Sixteen of them to boot!

Well, let's discuss some of the more deadly shootings... I think it was in Texas, the bell tower sniper - he shot and killed several students from the campus bell tower. Now, in that case, perhaps I can see the use for an assault rifle - to provide covering fire. But the majority of school shootings have been with the use of shotguns or handguns. According to military-net.com, the maximum effective range of a .45 caliber handgun?
"A. 1500 meters maximum and 50 meters maximum effective range."

That's more or less the same of most pistols. Their effective range is about 50 meters. When you're in school next, look down the hall. That's probably the farthest maximum distance someone could shoot more or less accurately with a pistol. And that's with some good training and skill.

How about those assault rifles? According to this site the maximum effective range of an AR-15 is ~500 meters. That's just about a half mile. "Wow!" you may say - that's great! So that guy can only maybe shoot you at 50 meters but you can easily shoot him at 300 meters - around 6 times the distance!

There's only one problem. You won't HAVE that distance. School shootings usually take place in one of two different ways - penetration, where the attacker gets inside the school first, or a sort of either bait, or wait style. Basically the attacker hides out in the woods, or the parking lot, and sets off a fire alarm, or something of that nature so that everyone comes out in the open where he (or she) opens fire.

Instead you're in close quarters. here's a youtube video that shows what happens to a cinder block when it's shot with an AR-15. I don't know about you but that's basically what MY school is made of.

I know I don't want to be on the other side of that block, either. No way, no how, no thank you very much.

There is absolutely NO reason that any arkansas campus police department should need or have that much firepower. If anything they should have two trained snipers per shift, with the accuracy and training to put down a target without endangering the lives of the students and faculty.

If anything they might need some CQ weaponry more powerful than their handguns - a shotgun loaded with slugs, some mp5s or so with their lower powered rounds (a maximum effective range of around 300 meters).

But assault rifles? Who are they kidding?