Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s top law enforcement announced a new program that will train law enforcement to spot potential mass shooters before they act.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at a news conference outside Orlando. Officials say the program will start in July.
When the new program kicks off, Florida will be the first state in the nation to have a statewide plan for identifying threats and taking action to intervene.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Richard Swearingen said “individuals planning a mass shooting often show signs of their intentions, whether in statements to friends or social media posts, “but people don’t know what to do with the information they have.”
The governor noted the case of Nikolas Cruz, who is charged with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“After it happened, everyone in the school knew it was this kid,” DeSantis said.
The program will start with a introduction of a curriculum for recruits at police academies around the state and provide training to patrol officers and deputies, investigators and law enforcement executives.