My Sheriff, Sheriff Maketa of El Paso County, made a great statement yesterday showing his 2A support


COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa is speaking out following the school shooting in Newtown last month.


He is offering to work with local school districts if they ever decide to arm teachers and administrators.


Sheriff Maketa believes arming qualified teachers and administrators is not a bad idea.


He said his office is even willing to train school officials, and waive the charge for concealed weapons permits.


"What we are really combating is the fear of crime, and the fear of a delayed response," Maketa said.


Maketa said he has supported the idea of arming teachers and administrators for years, long before the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.


But this is the first time he has offered to waive the concealed carry fees for local districts.


"If they were permitted it would at least have a deterrent effect, if the school district made it known they had armed people inside the schools to protect the children," Maketa said.


He said armed staff members can also respond to incidents until law enforcement arrives.


When it comes to regulating and banning guns, Maketa said that is not the answer as the country saw in Connecticut.


"There is a state that has tight gun control and registration, and an individual went into a school and took lives," he said.


So far the sheriff has not had any of the local districts reach out to him, but that does not mean they never will.


Falcon District 49's school board just voted in favor of allowing the district's safety and emergency coordinator to obtain a concealed carry permit.


"That discussion had been happening for awhile, before the most recent shooting," Stephanie Wurtz, Spokesperson for District 49, said. " But of course it brought it back into the forefront."


Right now Wurtz said there is no talk of arming D-49 teachers and administrators.


She said the district is confident with the security measures it currently has in place.


"We are certainly open to any other programs that might be out there for school safety, including anything from the sheriff's office," Wurtz said.


Currently under the Gun-Free School Zones Act guns are not allowed in schools unless carried by law enforcement or security personnel.