To stop school shootings, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants $50M for bulletproof shields

AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is asking for $50 million to instantly outfit Texas law enforcement officials with bulletproof shields to higher permit officers to answer energetic shooters.

Patrick referred to as upon House Speaker Dade Phelan to affix him and different members of the Legislative Budget Board to reallocate the cash to Governor Greg Abbott’s workplace or the Texas Department of Public Safety to get the shields to police earlier than the start of the autumn school yr.

“If every member of law enforcement across the state, approximately 80,000 officers, had a bulletproof shield in their vehicle, their ability to respond to an active shooter situation would be greatly enhanced,” Patrick mentioned.

Patrick made word that in depth finances reallocations have been made this yr to redirect almost $1 billion towards Operation Lone Star, Abbott’s continued mission to fight unlawful immigration.

“We can surely find this amount of money to better protect our kids,” Patrick mentioned. “There are several sources in the current budget that can be tapped to provide this funding.”

Following the killing of 5 Dallas law enforcement officials in 2016, the Legislature handed a invoice authored by Dallas state Sen. Royce West to outfit all police with bulletproof vests. Patrick referenced that allocation in his media launch, however mentioned he wants to maneuver instantly versus utilizing the legislative course of to fund the acquisition of what would quantity to 1000’s of bulletproof shields unfold throughout almost 9,000 school campuses.

“This straightforward solution can begin right away,” Patrick mentioned. “If all responding law enforcement had bulletproof shields last week, lives may have been saved.”

Patrick mentioned he would ship a draft of the funding request to Phelan Monday.

A message to Phelan’s workplace looking for remark was not instantly returned.