Compton OK's assault rifles for school police

The Compton Unified school board voted in July to allow selected school police officers to buy AR-15 rifles and carry them in their patrol car trunks. With students returning to school today, some residents are unhappy about the new policy. Um, how often do Compton's campus police fire their weapons at all — let alone have had the need for an assault weapon? For any big incident the LA sheriff would respond. From KPCC's story:

"The school police has been very notorious in the community and in reality has never had to shoot anyone before," said Francisco Orozco, a recent Dominguez High School graduate and founder of the Compton Democratic Club. "So this escalation of weapons we feel is very unnecessary."

Orozco said the police could better focus on day-to-day security concerns on campus, rather than arming themselves for a worst-case scenario. He also pointed to a lawsuit filed last year by parents in the district, alleging racial profiling by Compton school police officers — as well as recent allegations by students of excessive force — as evidence of a rift between the department and the community.

"The school police has not even earned the right to carry handguns," Orozco said.