School Safety Officer’s Quick Actions Prevent Tragedy at Tucson School
TUCSON – Last month, School Safety Officer William Bonanno of the Tucson Police Department thwarted a potentially tragic incident at an east side school. His brave actions were acknowledged today by state schools chief Tom Horne.
Officer Bonanno received a certificate of commendation for his decisive intervention at Legacy Charter School, where he confronted and apprehended an armed intruder. This commendable act is credited with saving numerous lives. Bonanno was stationed at the school following the allocation of $48 million in additional school safety funds by Supt. Horne in December. Legacy Charter School was one of the earliest institutions to utilize this funding for hiring a School Safety Officer.
“Officer Bonanno prevented the nightmare I have often talked about. 20 students and additional adults would have lost their lives, and the student’s parents would have had their lives ruined by uncontrollable grief. I know about this because I have lost a child. Those who have been opposing police in the schools need to rethink this issue. Think of the unimaginable tragedy that would have occurred if that School Safety Officer had not been there, or if he had been hired a little later,” stated Horne.
School Safety Officers serve schools that lack dedicated School Resource Officers, ensuring law enforcement presence throughout the week. In 2023, a public-private collaboration with Off Duty Management was initiated to place officers from various police jurisdictions in schools statewide, and Officer Bonanno was part of this program.
Brian Manley, President of Off Duty Management, expressed gratitude, stating, “The Off Duty Management Team is grateful that Officer Bonanno’s immediate action protected the lives and wellbeing of the children, school staff, and others present at the school that day. Without Officer Bonanno’s commitment to service, the excellence of Tucson Police Department under Chief Kasmar’s leadership, and the vision of Superintendent Tom Horne and Director Mike Kurtenbach of the Arizona Department of Education in putting this program and our partnership in place, this event would likely have ended in tragedy.”
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