The police chief of Madison, Wis., had the horrible task of addressing the public within hours of the country’s latest school shooting Monday. His unfortunate and emotional view of metal detectors should change the way we proceed with school safety.

Authorities say 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow killed two fellow students and injured six before taking her life at Madison’s Abundant Life Christian School.

“I think we can all agree that enough is enough, and we have to come together to do everything we can to support our students to prevent press conferences like these from happening again and again and again,” said Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, a former schoolteacher.

“I can tell you what a special place our schools are,” Barnes said. “With that being said, we owe it to our community to do everything possible to ensure that it’s not only a special place but a safe place as well.”

Amen! Children are society’s most valuable resource. Without young people who are healthy in mind, body and spirit, we have no future. We have no one to fund Social Security and other pensions. We have no future teachers, physicians, scientists and the workers any developed culture needs.

We should spare no expense protecting children because they are worth it. As such, a reporter asked the chief how parents could feel safe sending their children to school after the latest shooting.

“I think you’re asking me how I can say 100% that no child will ever be harmed in school. I can’t. No police chief can,” Barnes said. “But all I can tell you is that we have systems in place so that if something happens we can respond as we did today.”

Therein lies the main reason these murders take place. The police can “respond,” but only after a subject — usually suicidal — begins killing. With a bomb, gasoline or a semi-auto gun, a troubled person can massacre dozens before a squad car arrives. When seconds count, the fastest response is minutes away.

Another reporter asked the chief about metal detectors.

“I guess the question is, would you like to go to a school with or without metal detectors?” the chief asked the reporter, rhetorically.

“I can’t answer that,” the reporter said.

“Absolutely,” the chief replied. “So, the idea is to create the safest environment we can without metal detectors.”

His statement reflects an unfortunate and widespread sentiment that defies common sense. Doing “everything we can” to make schools safe immediately calls for the sensible measure — metal detectors — that protects us as we enter courthouses, sporting events, concerts and any airport concourse.

Every federal, state, local and school gun control law — like every “no-gun” sign — failed to keep a 15-year-old from showing up with a handgun. Had she been properly screened while entering the school, she and her victims would be alive for Christmas.

No one should have access to hundreds of children — including students — without getting screened for weapons. It is past time for superintendents, school boards, state legislators, governors, Congress and the president to advocate — and possibly mandate — metal detectors and other on-site security measures at entrances to schools.

It will cost money, but probably less than Colorado, Denver and an assortment of other cities and states spend to coddle immigrants here illegally with fancy hotels and loaded spending cards.

The next murdered child is one too many. We must stop it, with immediate security measures that keep weapons out of schools. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need this. As seen again Monday, this is not a perfect world.

The Gazette Editorial Board