Father of Student Murdered by Parkland Shooter Calls for National School Safety Standards
At a news conference Wednesday in Washington, DC, Schacter announced that the Foundation is working with some of the nation's leading law enforcement organizations.
The father of a student who was killed in the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, is asking law enforcement organizations to develop national standards and best practices for school safety.
Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was killed in the Feb. 14 school shooting, has established an organization to honor his son and improve school safety, the Safe Schools for Alex Foundation, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
At a news conference Wednesday in Washington, DC, Schacter announced that the Foundation is working with some of the nation's leading law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Association of School Resource Officers, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the National Sheriff's Association, the National Tactical Officers Association, the Major Cities Chief Association, and the Indiana Sheriff's Association.
"Nothing is more important than the safety of our schools…and making sure that our children come home safely every day," says Louis Dekmar, president of the IACP.
Earlier Wednesday Schachter met with top officials from the FBI and the Department of Justice as well as more than 50 state and local law enforcement officials and school security experts. That meeting was held at FBI headquarters.
Schachter's voice quavered with emotion as he showed the group a photo of his murdered son," the Sun-Sentinel reports.
"Unfortunately, the next monster is already out there," he told attendees. "We're going to make a difference, we're going to save children's lives.
His speech brought everyone in the room to a standing ovation as he urged government, education and law enforcement to make schools harder for offenders to penetrate by increasing security measures, including bulletproof doors and ballistic-resistant glass.
Attendeers say they plan to come up with a list of “best practices” to combat school violence and try to prevent future mass shooters from targeting schools.
In Florida Thursday a group of parents and relatives of the victims of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, launched a nonprofit group to push for stricter gun laws, increased school security and mental health intervention to prevent school shootings.
April Schentrup, mother of Parkland victim Carmen Schentrup, 16, said the group—Stand With Parkland—is likely to back universal background checks, raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, installing metal detectors and armed guards at all schools, and taking guns away from the mentally unfit. In an announcement of the group's formation, it called violence in schools "an American epidemic."
Word of the political nonprofit's formation drew a quick response from the National Rifle Association.
"Let’s be clear — there are many Parkland students and families [who] want to focus on school safety and reject holding that important goal hostage to the politics of gun control," Chris W. Cox, director of the NRA's lobbying arm, said via email. "Making it more difficult for law-abiding adults to exercise their constitutional right to self-defense will not improve public safety."
Unlike student groups from Parkland, Stand With Parkland isn't girding for war with the NRA, a member told NBC.
Tony Montalto, father of Parkland victim Gina Montalto, 14, said in an interview that the idea is to find common ground for the children's sake. "We're trying to energize the middle," he said.
More Command

How Smart Fleet Technology Is Transforming Police Operations
Police agencies are leveraging fleet data to reduce collisions, improve officer safety, control maintenance costs, and strengthen public accountability. This ebook explores how modern telematics and fleet management technology are helping departments operate more efficiently while maximizing taxpayer resources.
Read More →
NEOGOV Acquires Off-Duty Law Enforcement Software Platform PowerDetails
With the acquisition of PowerDetails, NEOGOV expands its footprint within public safety agencies to offer both on-duty and off-duty scheduling.
Read More →
FBI-LEEDA Launches Inaugural Five Star Chief Executive Institute
FBI-LEEDA’s recently-launched Five Star Chief Executive Institute is a two-week executive program that equips senior law enforcement leaders with strategic skills for modern policing.
Read More →
Why Police Leaders Must Champion Parking Enforcement
For police and transportation departments, traditional parking enforcement exposes officers to risk, such as standing on busy roads to issue paper tickets or catching offenders in dangerous, congested areas. Modern technology changes this, reducing exposure, speeding processes, and limiting confrontations.
Read More →More IACP 2025 From the Show Floor
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →IACP 2025 - From the Show Floor
Take a look inside the expo at IACP 2025 to see a sampling of what is displayed for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →
Pro-gard Expands Law Enforcement Vehicle Protection and Transport Solutions
Pro-gard has introduced HD Fender and Headlight Wraps for added front-end protection and a new P1300 Pro-Cell transport system for Ford F-150 and Super Duty models.
Read More →
COPS Teams With The Wounded Blue To Help Injured And Disabled Law Enforcement Officers And Their Families
Free officer-wellness training comes to Las Vegas Sept. 22–25: The Wounded Blue’s 5th Annual National Law Enforcement Survival Summit opens registration.
Read More →
Video: Officer Crawls Across Ladder to Rescue Family from Floodwaters
When floodwaters overturned a vehicle in rural New Mexico, Officer Walker Eby risked his life—crawling over raging currents on a ladder—to rescue a woman, her child, and their dog.
Read More →
Ahmedabad, India, to Host 2029 World Police & Fire Games
Birmingham, Alabama, hosted the 2025 World Police & Fire Games, and Ahmedabad, India, has been announced as the host city for 2029.
Read More →