By Associated Press - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida police chief says officers under his command are expected to engage any school shooter without waiting for backup or setting up a perimeter.

The Gainesville Sun reports that Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones on Tuesday said at a community meeting that his officers are expected to “impact the threat” before doing anything else.

The chief’s comments came after a school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland was criticized for waiting outside a school building during a shooting that killed 17 people. The officer in Parkland resigned afterward.



Jones says his department has been trained to know that in the event of a similar school shooting they are to immediately go after the threat.

___

Information from: The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Story Topics

Please read our comment policy before commenting.