A new proposal in the Missouri Legislature aims to bridge the gap between armed security and law enforcement by creating a specialized “Missouri Rangers” program.

Republican Sen. David Gregory from Chesterfield introduced Senate Bill 905 to address what he calls a critical need for consistent school protection. 

The bill would establish a training program for the Missouri Rangers under the POST commission, focusing on preventing and responding to violent crises in schools. 

Jefferson County Undersheriff Lt. Col. Tim Whitney believes it’s important to keep school safety top of mind even when it isn’t the lead story.

“We need to keep the conversation going and not take our foot off that proverbial gas pedal in terms of protecting our children.

“I’m a husband to a lady that’s been teaching for more than 20 years. I’ve got a sophomore in high school and a seventh grader, so this bill is personal to me,” Whitney told The Heartlander.

Whitney says police resources are strained across the state, making it difficult to place an officer in every single school building. That’s why he spoke in favor of the bill at a recent hearing.

“I don’t think it’s wise just to put somebody in a school and allow them to carry a firearm and say, this is school safety. We don’t know how that person is going to react under stress. 

“I ran SWAT teams for a number of years, so I’ve seen human performance under stress, and I know some people aren’t capable of performing in that.”

Ranger applicants must be in top physical shape, as they’re required to run 1.5 miles in under 12 minutes and 30 seconds, and complete at least 40 pushups in less than a minute.

The training duration varies based on the applicant’s background:

• Citizens: A program up to three months long. 
• Military/Veterans: A two-month abbreviated program. 
• Retired Police: A six-week abbreviated program. 

“It is going to be extremely difficult,” Gregory told The Heartlander. “And the reason for that, of course, is we don’t have the time in six months to get you in shape. So you have to present and appear and begin in shape so that we can stay focused on everything else.”

The physical fitness requirements are harder than those for the Marines.

“In an active shooter incident, it takes police minutes to get there. A lot of bad things happen in minutes, and so we have to have people there who are able to respond in seconds and are trained and capable. I believe Missouri Rangers would be a real benefit to our community,” Whitney said.

Lt. Col. Tim Whitney (left) Sen. David Gregory (right)

The Rangers program isn’t meant to replace School Resource Officers (SROs) but rather to act as a force multiplier. Rangers would have limited arrest powers confined to school property, specifically for weapons offenses and trespassing. 

The program is entirely optional for school districts. Schools can choose to hire Rangers, use them as volunteers, or stick with traditional SROs.

“Schools can pay for their SRO police officer to become a Ranger, like a heightened certification. Or they can just go get a volunteer, a young grandpa or a dad or anyone else who’s willing to come in one day a week. It’s totally flexible,” Gregory said.

The bill recently passed out of committee with a unanimous 7-0 vote. 

Gregory says he will continue working with POST to finalize the 160-hour curriculum before debate takes place on the Senate floor.