Broward County S.O. has some Deputies that are rifle-qualified, but certainly not all of them on patrol It seemed like Deputy Peterson was NOT rifle-qualified and did not have one in his vehicle. As far as "tactical gear", he had a pistol, at least two extra mags, body armor, handcuffs, a taser and/or a baton of some sort. Maybe even some OC. But what's most important--he had tactical training and thirty-year's worth of experience in the job. He wasn't an armed security guard. He was a licensed, certified peace officer and a Deputy Sheriff.
He has more tactical training and experience than the perpetrator had years on this Earth. He had a duty to act and let me explain very clearly why. First off, it could be said that even in the pre-Columbine-era, an officer would have a duty to act; however, the truth is that the standard procedure before Columbine was for the first officer(s) on scene at a situation like the Parkland School would be to surround and hold the perimeter as best they can until heavier backup--such as SWAT--could get on the scene. That was pretty standard at that time. HOWEVER, post-Columbine, it became apparent that it was completely inappropriate for officers to allow an active shooter to have his way without any impediments or resistance being offered. Keep in mind that there's a HUGE difference between an "active shooter" and a "barricaded subject/hostage-taker". In the latter, it's still pretty much accepted practice to surround and wait for more resources (SWAT, snipers, hostage negotiator, etc.) to arrive. However, in the former, there is shooting and/or killing underway, you have an "active shooter" and the new training to all officers calls for the first officer(s) on scene to do the best they can to form a hasty team with what they have on hand, and make immediate entry to STOP THE KILLING. That's the key right there. That goes for even if the perpetrator is armed with a long-gun and the officers only have pistols. They key is to stop the killing. It may not have been possible for Peterson to have saved all seventeen lives or even many of them; however, if by making entry, locating the shooter, approaching tactically, and placing well-aimed fired in his direction, he may have been able to save some of those precious, innocent lives. The idea is to give the shooter something more to think about or focus on than just his fatal fantasy and evil plan. Asking Peterson to have made entry--even alone--was not a suicide/Kamikaze-mission. He was armed & trained and was the MOST CAPABLE person on-scene and those folks were counting upon him to live up to his oath. He did not do so and it is more than appropriate to call him a coward.
