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Just heard about this on a TV report. Parents are upset that he had one 'in the pipe'. Police are now having to defend that practice.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2009/04/24/20090424swv-tolshooting0424-ON.html
Chief: Tolleson officer's self-inflicted shooting a 'freakish accident'
24 commentsby Megan Gordon - Apr. 24, 2009 01:35 PM
The Arizona Republic
Tolleson police said the armed school resource officer who shot himself in the finger this week never took his weapon out of its holster and deemed the shooting a "freakish accident."
Officer Ray Granillo's gun discharged inadvertently Wednesday, as students at Arizona Desert Elementary School were being dismissed. He was shot in his right middle finger and is recovering at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix.
After investigating the incident, Tolleson police Chief Larry Rodriguez outlined this series of events:
• Granillo was dressed in plain clothes because of early dismissal. His .40-caliber Glock was holstered onto his belt.
• Granillo unlocked the gate outside the cafeteria in preparation for early release.
• After tucking the keys into his pants, one key was logged in an opening between the leather holster and trigger.
• Granillo cupped his hand underneath the holster and "tugged up" to readjust his belt.
• Enough pressure was applied between the trigger, key and leather to cause the trigger to fire.
"It was a very strange and very unusual situation," Rodriguez said. "When we got to him, the gun was still the in holster . . . and the spent cartridge was still in the weapon."
Officers found a small scratch on the trigger, corroborating the investigation's theory, Rodriguez said.
Tolleson Elementary School District officials are holding a community meeting Monday to answer any questions parents may have.
"Our big issue right now is student safety," said Superintendent Bill Christensen. "We want to make sure our parents and our community members feel safe."
Granillo, 57, is expected to return to the school, Rodriguez said. He noted all school resource officers carry loaded guns because "that's their function" at the school.
Many districts have a partnership with local law enforcement agencies to allow school resource officers on campus.
The Goodyear Police Department partners with all the school districts within the city, and each school has its own resource office.
Litchfield Elementary School District also pays for an officer at Wigwam Creek Middle School.
"The program is important because the officers serve as a resource to the school," said Rani Collins, Arizona Department of Education's School Safety Program administrator "They serve as role models to the students, showing the human side of law enforcement as well as deterring crime on campus."
Tolleson Elementary School District pays 100 percent of Granillo $65,000 annual salary through the state-funded School Safety Program Grant.
Started in 1994, the program today gives $14 million to 74 districts and charter schools across Arizona.
The Tolleson district's program receives $140,000 per year for two officers, one at Arizona Desert and the other at Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School, both in Tolleson. Granillo has been a resource officer for two years. He teaches anti-bullying and drug-prevention courses on the K-8 campus.
"(Granillo) is seen as the safe person for parent and students," Christensen said. "He's very popular."
Just heard about this on a TV report. Parents are upset that he had one 'in the pipe'. Police are now having to defend that practice.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2009/04/24/20090424swv-tolshooting0424-ON.html
Chief: Tolleson officer's self-inflicted shooting a 'freakish accident'
24 commentsby Megan Gordon - Apr. 24, 2009 01:35 PM
The Arizona Republic
Tolleson police said the armed school resource officer who shot himself in the finger this week never took his weapon out of its holster and deemed the shooting a "freakish accident."
Officer Ray Granillo's gun discharged inadvertently Wednesday, as students at Arizona Desert Elementary School were being dismissed. He was shot in his right middle finger and is recovering at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix.
After investigating the incident, Tolleson police Chief Larry Rodriguez outlined this series of events:
• Granillo was dressed in plain clothes because of early dismissal. His .40-caliber Glock was holstered onto his belt.
• Granillo unlocked the gate outside the cafeteria in preparation for early release.
• After tucking the keys into his pants, one key was logged in an opening between the leather holster and trigger.
• Granillo cupped his hand underneath the holster and "tugged up" to readjust his belt.
• Enough pressure was applied between the trigger, key and leather to cause the trigger to fire.
"It was a very strange and very unusual situation," Rodriguez said. "When we got to him, the gun was still the in holster . . . and the spent cartridge was still in the weapon."
Officers found a small scratch on the trigger, corroborating the investigation's theory, Rodriguez said.
Tolleson Elementary School District officials are holding a community meeting Monday to answer any questions parents may have.
"Our big issue right now is student safety," said Superintendent Bill Christensen. "We want to make sure our parents and our community members feel safe."
Granillo, 57, is expected to return to the school, Rodriguez said. He noted all school resource officers carry loaded guns because "that's their function" at the school.
Many districts have a partnership with local law enforcement agencies to allow school resource officers on campus.
The Goodyear Police Department partners with all the school districts within the city, and each school has its own resource office.
Litchfield Elementary School District also pays for an officer at Wigwam Creek Middle School.
"The program is important because the officers serve as a resource to the school," said Rani Collins, Arizona Department of Education's School Safety Program administrator "They serve as role models to the students, showing the human side of law enforcement as well as deterring crime on campus."
Tolleson Elementary School District pays 100 percent of Granillo $65,000 annual salary through the state-funded School Safety Program Grant.
Started in 1994, the program today gives $14 million to 74 districts and charter schools across Arizona.
The Tolleson district's program receives $140,000 per year for two officers, one at Arizona Desert and the other at Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School, both in Tolleson. Granillo has been a resource officer for two years. He teaches anti-bullying and drug-prevention courses on the K-8 campus.
"(Granillo) is seen as the safe person for parent and students," Christensen said. "He's very popular."
