Armed Cops Won't Stop School Shootings, Brooklynites Tell Senator

KENSINGTON, BROOKLYN — A Brooklyn politician began promoting his bill to station armed police officers outside city schools one day after the mass shooting in Florida and his constituents are demanding to know why.

Central Brooklyn residents penned a letter Wednesday asking State Senator Simcha Felder to provide evidence that his bill, which would assign armed police officers to all New York City schools, would deter school shootings.

“My instincts tell me that more guns are not the answer to stopping mass shootings,” said Brooklyn mom Jessica Byrne. “I would like to be convinced that Sen. Felder’s legislation is the best way to make my children safer at school.”

Felder relaunched his campaign to pass bill S6798 — which would station a cop outside every public and private school in the city — just one day after Nikolas Cruz marched into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with an assault rifle on Feb. 14.

The Brooklyn rep’s statement — entitled “What Are We Waiting For?” — argued that high number of school shootings made it necessary for him to promote his bill, which he first introduced in June.

“I am sickened as I write these words, but how long can we stay silent?” Felder wrote in a statement published by The Yeshiva World.

“Yesterday’s tragedy, the 40th since 2000, highlights once again why we need to take a cold, hard look at my 2 bills, languishing in Albany, that would safeguard our schools and protect our children.”

But Byrne and the grassroots organization NYSD 17 for Progress argued the one-page bill provides no evidence to support Felder’s notion that cops wielding guns would make students safer.

“Is there a particular reason you believe armed police officers in schools would protect students from threats?” Residents asked. “Is there is any data informing your belief in your legislation?”

The group also noted armed guards were unable to prevent Cruz from fatally shooting 17 people and did not the fatal shootings at Columbine and Virginia Tech.

“We believe the state should explore ways to further tighten our gun laws,” the letter writers said. "Do you agree?"

Felder’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Photo courtesy of Hans Pennink/Associated Press