Upon finding out School Resource Officers had access to patrol rifles, a school district patron remarked that such things may not be 'effective.'

It seems we all get wrapped around the axle when someone is in the act of sacrificing a sacred cow that belongs to one of us. It's bad enough when it's one of the team, which sometimes happens, but it stretches tolerance when a school district patron has to give her expert opinion on an item of police equipment and training to news media. As the taxpayer is someone we need to listen to, a nearby school district got a negative response when news they bought "eight Smith & Wesson semi-automatic rifles for the seven district resource officers and one supervisor. . . " A parent, when asked by the media source, questioned "the effectiveness of such high-powered weaponry (sic) in the face of an active shooter in the school." Of course, being "news" media, their ability for critical examination was non-existent. If you're unimpressed with a School Resource Officer having access to a centerfire rifle, perhaps you should stroll the halls of modern public schools. Count the paces – you likely don't walk 36" length of steps, but you can get an idea of distance. As I used to supervise school resource officers, I have done that. A hall 100 yards in length is not uncommon.

There is a time to go to the handgun -- like when the rifle ceases function.

Take that service handgun for your agency and set up a target. If it's USPSA, only hits in the A/C zone "count." D-zones are misses as is the head box – unless you called the shot. Work that at fifty yards and get back with me. If you can, do the same exercise with an AR-15 . . . or a slug-loaded shotgun. There could be a difference, assuming competent zero and trigger control. It's helpful when public policy experts actually try a component of the scenario before pontificating. Of course the rifle won't do this by itself – the more costly component is training. And it is needed. Meanwhile, the assembled faithful recently got into a social media donnybrook over the poorly named "tactical reload." Properly known as "ammunition management," arguments against the procedure centered on the old chestnut that the gun is topped off "during a lull in the fight." Much was made that the only documented operational uses of the technique occurred "after the fight was over" and it was unnecessary. Yeah. Well.

Ammo management can be an important part of a post-shooting procedure -- especially as it's hard to know when the fight is over when it's real people in the real world. Still, it's up to the user.

When you look at it from the perspective of a late 1970s-early 1980s TTP, you could be right. Things have moved on, as things will, and the threat profile continues to metastasize. I always asked my people, "when do you actually know the fight is over?" A memorable response was, "When someone's stringing crime scene tape . . ." That's close. Operationally, you don't know when the fight is over – not for sure. One armed offender down is one. And that fighter could get back up; shoot from the ground, something. Then there's a possibility that the suspect wasn't alone. It has happened albeit rarely. Ammo management, something our state POST got right in their state-wide mandated qualification course, is on the user. Intentionally waiting for slide-lock to reload can put you in a bad place. See, these things don't often happen on a square range. You likely will want to move after the apparent violent offender goes down – and if you don't, you should. Don't be where you were when he last looked. Be somewhere else. Looking then moving is helpful – don't walk into a parked car – but you're looking for concealment (not terrible), cover (rare but much better) and the offender's compatriots, off-duty officers, armed citizens, other victims. Look and see. After that movement, checking your condition and the condition of the piece is quite relevant. If you didn't carry a spare load of ammo – shame on you. But it's not the time for recriminations. If the piece is in battery, good. If it's not, fix it. If you have spare ammo, you may want to do a magazine exchange. You may not. If it's something you've already internalized, feel free. Is this something you need to practice, to train . . . to teach? I don't know that I feel that strongly about it. When I learned it, it seemed necessary. I say it's up to you. In any event, ammo management is a part of a smart post-engagement sequence. -- Rich Grassi