Compton School Police Department officers who pass an internal selection process will soon be allowed to carry AR-15 rifles in the trunk of their patrol vehicles.
The school board authorized the policy change in July, reportsKPCC.
Compton Unified Police Chief William Wu told the board that without the semi-automatic rifles, his officers weren’t equipped to respond to a terrorist attack or mass shooting because some shooters wear body armor that can’t be penetrated by standard firearms. He claimed that the AR-15s would be more accurate if a target is 50-100 yards away. They would also be more deadly.
Some members of the community are objecting to the officers having such weapons.
Select officers will be armed with the AR-15s in September.