“America’s toughest sheriff” is teaming up with action movie star Steven Seagal to help train volunteer posse members to protect Phoenix schools.
Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s officers acted as shooters and teenagers played the part of students during mock scenarios involving up to three gunmen, the Associated Press reports. The simulation took place Saturday at a closed school site in suburban Fountain Hills.
Mr. Seagal led training on hand-to-hand defense techniques, drawing from his martial arts experience.
Arizona House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, a Democrat, called the plan to use Mr. Seagal as an instructor “ludicrous,” the AP reports.
“He’s making a mockery out of it. You’re having a movie actor train people how to protect schools?” Mr. Campbell said. “Steve Seagal is an actor. That’s it. Why don’t we also have Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris and Bruce Willis come out and train them, too, while we’re at it.”
The sheriff began sending armed posse members to patrol schools in January, following the Sandy Hook shootings. The patrols were launched at 59 schools in January, and Sheriff Arpaio called for 1,000 additional volunteers last week.
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Jessica Chasmar is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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