Gatekeepers offers a compromise to Arming School Teachers. - Amongst all the reactions to the recent shooting tragedies is the suggestion that teachers be armed. As much as I agree with the central theme that the most practical way to address an evil gunman is with a good gunman, I don't believe the training demanded by most states for a concealed handgun permit adequately prepares an individual to take on active shooters.

What is really at stake here? Isn't it all about the money? Isn't it all about what is would cost to protect the ones we love? I think we all agree that we would want the best possible protection for our family and friend, but we really can't afford Secret Service Agents and bulletproof everything. Besides, who would want to hide out in a virtual prison all of their lives.

Traditional Solutions - The current cost of an Licensed Armed Security Officer is about $20-25 per hour. Current cost for an Off-Duty Law Enforcement Officer is about $30-40 per hour here in Texas. So we are looking at around $40,000 per year for one shift protection. Is that too much? I guess it depends on your budget.

How much are you spending in access control doors and video surveillance? Remember the gunman in CT just broke/shot out the glass door of the school. Do you really think you are going to bulletproof the whole school/church? Do you really think a mental case with a gun is going to care if he is caught on the camera? Of course not.

Yes, arming teachers is cheaper than hiring armed guards. But Hey, let's also consider who's paying the Pistol Packing Professor's bills?

Incident scenario:

When the " Pistol Packing Professor" let's the lead fly we all pray for the miracle that only the bad guys get shot. If only the bad guys get shot then "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition". But, let's say it's not so pretty and a couple of students or bystanders get grazed.

Did you call your school insurance carrier and ask about having a teacher or faculty with their Concealed Handgun License/Permit (CHL) to be the armed guard at the school? How did they embrace the idea? Is it even legal in your state? Without insurance approval the teacher and school will be the main recipient of the law suites, both personally and corporately, and go down in a ball of flames. End of Story ...

Better story.. The school hires a security firm to provide trained, certified, licensed and insured third party protection. At least that is the way the corporate world does it.

Best Story.. A school contracts a specialized security company that trains and certifies selected school/church staff according to state standards to be licensed professional armed plain clothed Protection Officers.

The "Best" story is the brainchild of Chuck Chadwick's Gatekeepers Security Services. While Chadwick's company provides commercial security and bodyguard services to some of the most well know pastors and churches in America, he is also providing a much needed service to small and medium size schools and churches that can't afford the high cost of traditional Private Security or Off-Duty Law Enforcement.

Dozens of Christian churches and Christian schools have embraced this model of meeting the state requirements for armed security officers through Gatekeepers Security Services' "Gatekeepers" program. Gatekeepers Security Services is licensed in Texas and Oklahoma and hopeful to be expanding throughout the US. www.gatekeeperssecurity.com

Chadwick's companies have been at the center of the storm of Church Security for almost a decade. Among the family of companies are Gatekeepers Security Services, LLC, The Christian Security Institute (www.ChristianSI.org), a state licensed security school and The National Organization for Church Security & Safety Management (www.NOCSSM.org) that gives national seminars and conferences on church security across the country. Call 972-712-8818 for more information.