New equipment for the Pea Ridge Police Department will provide additional security for officers allowing them to better protect the public but, ironically, Chief Lynn Hahn said he hopes they never have to use it.
Ballistic shields and helmets have been added to the officers' array of gear.
Hahn said many law enforcement officers learned from mistakes made in the response to the school shooting at Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022, in which 19 students and two teachers were fatally shot and 17 more injured.
"Part of the problem was some of them (police officers) didn't have shields. Without shields, you go through a door and someone is shooting through it, you're just dead in front of a door and will be in the way," Hahn said.
"We bought two shields last year... they (the supplier) were way behind because everybody was ordering shields," Hahn said. "Now we have enough for every single officer to have one."
When the department had only one shield, even though it was a "nice one," it was stored at the office thereby requiring an officer to return to the station to pick it up in case it was needed. He said providing one for every officer improves security for officers and the public.
"Now the officers will be able to actually have a shield in their patrol car, not just for an active shooter situation, but any kind of dangerous situation, maybe a firearm involved, to protect themselves," he said, adding that the department also now has helmets for all the officers. Medical information, such as blood type and allergies, are on a label on the helmet providing immediate information to medics in case of an injury to an officer.
Two different sizes of shields were purchased. The smaller of the two cost $599.99 and the larger cost $749.99. The total cost, $10,799.83, was paid for with the Police Department share of impact fees.
Helmets, at a cost of $400 a piece, were paid for out of the drug fund. Hahn said the revenue in the drug fund is from court convictions in drug cases. The money can be used for any kind of drug-related enforcement expenses.
Each School Resource Officer at each of the schools will have a helmet and a shield.
"Right now we train officers to go in immediately," Hahn said, explaining that previously, such as during the Columbine school shooting, the mentality, the training was to set up a perimeter and wait for the SWAT team.
"In the meantime, people were dying inside."
"After Columbine, it was changed to if you're there, you go in, you don't wait for back up... and try to stop the threat," Hahn said. The Columbine, Colo., High School massacre April 20,1999, resulted in the deaths of 12 students and one teacher and 21 people injured.
"We will have breaching equipment," Hahn said, adding that there is some in the station and will be some at every school.
All officers receive Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). Pea Ridge Police Lt. Rich Fordham is a certified ALERRT training officer.
"ALERRT is the golden training for active shooters," Hahn said. "We've been using ALERRT for a long time. It teaches that you go in right now, but without the right equipment, you're limited on what you can do... Hopefully, by buying this equipment, it won't slow officers down in getting in and stopping the threat."
"Hopefully, people will realize Pea Ridge is not a good place to go for the bad guys," Hahn said. "You have to prepare. That's why we do have this kind of equipment."
"It (negative events) happens in small towns, too," Hahn said, noting that he hopes they will not ever have to use them but he would prefer to be prepared.