A retired Cudahy police officer is teaching a free CCW class for area teachers in response to recent mass shootings
A retired Cudahy Police officer is hoping to empower local teachers and school faculty through free training in situational awareness and gun safety.
The course would also allow the participants to apply for a concealed carry permit — though they could not carry firearms on school grounds per state law.
Brian Scott is a retired Cudahy police officer with 30 years of law enforcement experience. He said the Uvalde, Texas mass shooting was a tipping point for him to offer the course.
Following a delayed police response to the mass shooting that led to the death of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary, the Justice Department is conducting an inquiry into the shooting.
Scott criticized the response of the Uvalde Police.
“I don’t know why there was a lot of failure there,” he said. “I don’t live in Texas so there’s nothing I can do for their training, but I can contribute to safety of schools and kids here.”
Scott, who started working with the Cudahy Police Department in 2000, retired in May 2015. For his last eight years on the force, he was a field training officer.
Since Wisconsin enacted a concealed carry law in 2011, Scott has been teaching concealed carry weapon classes. He has also been instructing armed security officers since 1997 for certification and gun range qualification.
Scott estimated he’d certified over 400 people to apply for a CCW permit. His new class for teachers and faculty is free.
Here's what to know about Scott's free CCW class
The two-hour course will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., July 6, at Moose Lodge #149, 5476 S. 13th St., Milwaukee. Participation is limited to teachers and school faculty to keep the discussion focused.
The facility is donating the space, and the class is limited to about 100 people. Scott said it will be a first come, first served registration. The course will function as a pilot, and if there is more interest than one class can hold, Scott said he’d be willing to schedule a second date.
To register, send an email to bscott8766@att.net with the subject line “School Safety.”
Those who complete the course will get a certificate which enables them to apply for a concealed carry license in Wisconsin. State law requires applicants to attend a training course and supply proof of such with their application.
“My main thing is they know when they can shoot and when they can’t,” Scott said.
Thus far, he said, there has been good, positive interest from South Shore area teachers and he expanded the course to include all school staff after a few faculty requests.
Why offer a two-hour CCW class to teachers and staff when they can’t carry at school?
Scott wants people to take the course for their own personal safety. He also wants to do a talk on school safety and situational awareness with teachers from a police officer’s perspective to help prevent future tragedies.
“I’m just donating my time and expertise,” Scott said, adding that he is working independently and his views and approach don’t necessarily reflect the position of the Cudahy Police Department or the city.
He also hopes to not only teach but to learn about the issues from an educator’s perspective.
“I know the police side of things, but I don’t know the teacher side,” he said, adding he wants to “share a dialogue.”
Scott has invited former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and State Assembly candidate Bob Donovan to attend.
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What is Guardian program legislation?
Scott also hopes to plant a seed with the course which could lead to support for legislative change.
One of those potential changes is bringing a version of something called the Guardian program to Wisconsin. Scott said the volunteer program could allow a teacher to take a more than 100-hour training course through a law enforcement agency that, upon completion, would allow that teacher to have access to a firearm locked in a secure location in their school (not necessarily on their person).
“It’s very strict scrutiny and training,” Scott said, and includes a psychological exam, drug test and background check.
“As we’ve seen on Uvalde, we can’t rely 100% on police to stop the carnage,” Scott said. “I’m hoping nobody ever needs to utilize something like that, but we can’t bury our heads in sand.”
Looking at other areas where the program has been implemented, Guardians can be existing employees, or someone hired specifically for the role. Scott is in talks with a sheriff in Polk County, Florida where the program was implemented to learn more. He is considering pushing to have the program presented in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: After Uvalde shooting, retired Wisconsin cop to teach free CCW class
