John,

This week marks the somber anniversaries of two devastating acts of violence in our nation’s history: mass shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 and Virginia Tech in 2007.

Yet, gun violence continues to plague American schools. In fact, last month was the first March since 2002 without a school shooting. We cannot allow extreme circumstances like a global health crisis to be the sole reason children can live free of the fear of gun violence.

As Sheriff, I remain committed to ensuring public safety -- in our schools, malls, movie theaters, homes, and streets. Just this February, I joined a panel of experts, academics, and parents to discuss ideas and solutions to enhance school safety.

School safety is a top priority for MCSO, and we will continue to do everything we can to enhance our processes, train our teachers and education professionals, and protect our students.

As always, I am honored to serve you.

-- Sheriff Paul Penzone