The Urgent Need for Armed School Guards: Protecting Our Children in Nashville

In the wake of recent tragedies, the safety of our children in Nashville schools has become a pressing concern. Despite the availability of funds, the city faces a shortage of 70 officers, leaving elementary schools especially vulnerable. The stark reality is that our smallest and most vulnerable children are unprotected from potential harm.

Nashville Public Schools has resisted the idea of placing armed police officers on school premises. However, there is a viable solution that remains unexplored: employing plainclothes and armed former military and retired police officers.

One such example is Dean Hubach, a 27-year active military man with seven deployments, currently employed by Covert Results, a Nashville security company specializing in plainclothes armed guards.

Hubach, along with other highly trained security personnel, carries a ballistic backpack with bulletproof panels and backup weapons, providing a proactive defense against potential threats. This approach stands in stark contrast to the current strategy of placing unarmed school ambassadors in elementary schools, a move criticized by security experts as inadequate.

Robert Young, founder of Covert Results, emphasizes the importance of having armed personnel who are trained to handle stressful situations and react swiftly. He believes in the necessity of having individuals capable of defending against an active shooter. The sentiments are echoed by security experts who argue that relying on non-armed personnel in schools is ineffective and potentially dangerous.

The situation is further complicated by the reluctance of the Nashville Police Department to accept a grant for School Resource Officers (SROs) due to a shortage of officers and low morale within the force. In response, Covert Results has taken the initiative to protect children in private schools by employing skilled, armed and some retired professionals.

The critical question arises: What can concerned parents do to ensure the safety of their children? Covert Results invites parents to take an active role in securing their child’s school. If your child’s school is not yet protected by an armed guard, reach out to Covert Results at Contact@covertresults.com or call 615-861-1680.

It’s time for the community to unite in safeguarding our schools. By advocating for armed guards and supporting initiatives like Covert Results, we can contribute to creating a safer environment for our children to learn and grow. Let’s make our voices heard and prioritize the security of Nashville’s future.

**The following article is from FOX17 Nashville”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The smallest and most vulnerable children in Nashville public schools remain unprotected from mass school shooters.

Even after the slaughter of children at Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and now here in Nashville at The Covenant School, nothing is being done.

Nashville public schools has resisted putting armed police officers in schools, and even though there is now plenty of money to do it, the Nashville police department does not have the 70 officers to fill the position.

Yet there is a possible answer that Metro Nashville Public Schools just won’t consider: Plain clothes and armed former military and retired police officers.

Dean Hubach is constantly moving at Ezell-Harding Christian School.

The hallways, the playground, the parking lot: All carrying a ballistic backpack with bulletproof panels and backup weapons.

Hubach is built for this kind of wore. He is a 27-year active military man with seven deployments. He has had his head on a swivel for half of his life.

“We do a lot of security, sights, important equipment, we secure people in the military,” says Hubach. “This fits my role. I know I can protect these kids. I know how to shoot.”

Hubach is one of dozens of security guards employed by Covert Results, a Nashville security company that specializes in plain clothes armed guards, and now guards children in 11 private schools in Nashville.

“We use active or retired police and our military officers that are already trained, they’ve been through stressful situations,” said Robert Young of Covert Results. “They know how to react, they know how to shoot a weapon. And that’s the people that we’re putting in the schools to protect our children.

Hubach is popular at Ezell Harding, and not just with the kids. Principal Lindsey Judd says he will never go back to unarmed security.

“And so the security guards that are here have been perfect fits for us,” Judd says. “And a gain, you will see them interacting with students on a very normal level. It’s not something that people are afraid of them or they’re walking hands distance away from them. They’re part of our family, just like a teacher is or a principal, or an office worker. They’re just part of who we are. And so they blended in great and it’s made us feel safer.”

This is especially significant in contrast to MNPS, which does not want anyone armed in its elementary schools.

There was a moment where it looked like MNPS would get traditional school resource officers for elementary schools, but Nashville Police Chief John Drake turned down a grant for SRO’s because he feels he can never fill the 70 open positions because not enough people want to be police officers.

Former Metro Police officer and training expert Brink Fidler says people need to stop waiting for that to happen.

“People don’t understand that part,” says Fidler of Defend Systems. “They’re like, well, they offered all this money. Why don’t you just put them in schools? Well, we don’t have people to answer calls. Like it’s sad . I feel bad for him because the police department is so, so overworked and mandated to work all these special events. They don’t have the people, and morale is in the tank.”

So there is no magic genie that is going to suddenly populate the Nashville police department and there is no miracle that will fill these 70 SRO positions. So what do we do? Nothing.

Nashville public schools is placing unarmed school ambassadors in elementary schools.

What do security experts say about that? They say that is nothing, absolutely nothing.

“If you give me a paintball gun, and put your unarmed ambassadors in the school, let me get in the building,” says legendary tactics and SWAT team instructor Bob Allen. “I’ll guarantee you they wouldn’t like the result. It’s just a ridiculous idea, I don’t get it.”

If you want more proof, talk to Bobby Young. Remember he employs dozens of highly trained security people with one important distinction? All of them refuse to do any security job unarmed.

“I believe you need a person,” said Young. “The ballistic film can’t shoot back, the cameras can’t shoot back. None of those other fancy programming software can do anything. If there is a shooter inside the school and shooting actively, there’s nothing you can do, unless you have a gun to fight a gun.”

MNPS does not think any of this is a good idea. It’s response is, “The only armed personnel in our school buildings are highly trained, active duty MNPD officers and we do not have any plans to change that moving forward.”

Meanwhile, full-speed ahead with unarmed school ambassadors, 43 have been assigned to schools.

What can you do to help with this issue?  Contact Covert Results if your child’s school is not yet protected by an armed guard.  Email or call us: Contact@covertresults.com or call 615-861-1680.