Plainfield Police Request Gun Safes, Rifles at Schools

Police asked the school district to install locked gun safes in the event there's a shooter on campus

Four high schools in south suburban Plainfield could get some firepower for added protection if the police department has its way.

Plainfield Police asked the district to install locked gun safes to keep a rifle and important information at several schools in the event there's a shooter on campus, according to Plainfield School District 202.

The safe could include a “long gun, such as an AR 15 rifle," according to the request, and would be stored in the offices of school police officers, who would be the only ones with access.

The request was made for Plainfield Central Campus, Plainfield East, Plainfield North and Plainfield Academy. Plainfield South High School will not be included.

“Unfortunately, in today’s society active shooter incidents are no longer something we see on TV," Police Chief John Konopek said in a statement. "They are reality.”

Plainfield hasn't experienced a campus shooting, and Konopek said he wants to keep it that way.

“We have found, through our training, officers are much better equipped to handle this type of incident utilizing a long gun … rather than a handgun,” he said.

The school board has not yet voted on the request. A committee is set to review it Sept. 19.

 

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