PALM BAY, Fla. – Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County is doubling down on the significance of preparation and deterrence in class security, invoking the knowledge of historical strategist Solar Tzu to clarify the county’s aggressive strategy to defending college students from lively shooters.
Showing on Florida’s Voice Radio with Drew Steele, Ivey mentioned the evolving nature of legislation enforcement priorities all year long and the way his workplace has tailored to rising threats — significantly in colleges.
“You go from specializing in getting the faculties up and working to graduations, summer time points, then the vacation season which brings a wholly completely different dynamic of crime,” Ivey stated. “However about two years in the past, we made some fairly main steps to make sure our colleges are the most secure doable.”
WATCH: @SheriffIvey cites Solar Tzu within the significance of preparation and deterrence, significantly because it pertains to lively shooter conditions
The Brevard County Sheriff has translated this into a method of suiting college useful resource deputies in tactical uniforms with AR-15s pic.twitter.com/GALGmy9Zo5
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) Could 14, 2025
Citing Solar Tzu’s well-known quote from The Artwork of Struggle — “Each battle is received or misplaced earlier than it’s ever fought” — Ivey stated the Brevard County Sheriff’s Workplace modified its mindset from response to prevention and deterrence.
“How do I win the battle of getting an lively shooter, maybe in one in all our colleges?” Ivey stated. “Not solely by being completely ready, however by sending the message that this can be a onerous goal — and for those who come right here with evil in your coronary heart, we’re going to kill you, and we’re going to kill you fast.”
To that finish, Brevard County outfitted its college useful resource deputies with tactical uniforms and visual AR-15 rifles mounted on to their vests utilizing molle attachments — a shift from the usual follow of conserving rifles saved in patrol vehicles.
“Now all they must do is run to the risk,” Ivey stated. “It’s a sport changer.”
Whereas Ivey acknowledged some concern about public response to the extra aggressive posture, he stated the response — significantly from dad and mom — has been overwhelmingly optimistic.
“Simply the alternative. We bought main applause,” he stated. “Primarily from mothers that simply need one factor after they look within the rearview mirror after dropping their baby off at college — they wish to know their baby is protected.”
Catch Florida’s Voice Radio weekdays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. on X, Fb, YouTube, Rumble, the official Florida’s Voice web site.
