School resource officer charged with child neglect

It's humiliating when you're a paid sheriff's deputy who didn't take any action in one of the worst school shootings in history.

 

This to me exemplifies how there's this move to cast as wide a net as possible to lay responsibility wherever possible instead of focusing on the major causes. The shooter was the primary culprit, let's keep our attention there. Yes the security officer failed to act, instead he cowered. That's wrong on so many levels, especially since that was his job, but to make that criminal? Strikes me as wrong, to spread the net that far.

I know we want satisfaction but while you strive for perfection you can't legislate perfection. We're humans, errors will be made.

 

The perjury charge is certainly reasonable, but child neglect? I don't think so. He should definitely lose his job. He clearly failed to do it. But count me in with those who are uncomfortable with criminal charges for his failure to engage.

Also, see what qtlaw said.

 

I am in no way defending the guy. It was dereliction of duty, obviously. But sending a guy to prison for 97 years because he froze? It's grandstanding.

 

Ninety-seven years is the maximum amount of time he'd serve. He won't get it. It's Florida. The jury, if the case even goes to trial, will likely sympathize with the sheriff's deputy and suggest, at most, maybe a year or two in county jail. Yes, he'll definitely lose his job and never work in law enforcement again, but 97 years? That won't happen.

 

I almost see something like this if the shooter kills himself or gets gunned down by cops. People want somewhere to go for their vengeance (gun manufacturers, lax security in the building, etc., going after relatives, in the case of the Pulse shooter). But they've got their guy alive, and he will stand trial. I think firing this dude and yanking his pension, to say nothing of the fact that he will be branded a coward for the rest of his life, will be enough.

 

A year or two in county jail? JFC, that is extreme to me. That mofo has to live already with the guilt and humiliation of what he didn't do. His name is mud, and so is the name of his family. Do the people of Florida really need this pound of flesh? Focus on the factors that allowed someone like Nicholas Cruz to commit this atrocity. A guy didn't man up in the moment? Dog bites man, news at 11.

 

Devil's Advocate:

if this guy swore an oath to "protect and serve" these charges make more sense.

 

Another factor to consider is that this wasn't some $9-an-hour security guard. According to a newspaper article from last year, he was paid $101,879.03 in 2017. Now he's getting a pension of $8700 a month.

My feeling is.... if you're paid more than twice what a Navy SEAL gets, you should expect to run towards danger now and then.

 

Okay, he wasn't some hire on the side security guard. Cut the monetary benefits. Still not sure on criminal culpability.

 

I think there's a decent compromise available here. Because I fear a slippery-slope situation, I'll oppose the criminal prosecution in return for the revocation of his pension and any other benefits from the job he was too scared to do. May his name live in infamy.

 

Not at all. County is a cake walk compared to Florida state prison.

I've lived in Florida for decades. Do you think people will go after the guns? Not a chance. Floridians love their guns and will gladly throw a guy in jail before any gun legislation makes it to the state house.