The Chardon High School shooting has school districts and police departments evaluating how they respond to such incidents. Since local police officers would be on the scene well before a SWAT team arrives, they need to be have proper equipment, Mayfield Village Police Chief Richard Edelman said.

He's requested the village purchase four First Choice body shields, which weigh about 30 pounds each and would cost a total of $9,600.

"We would like four to use in primary response cars to be used in a circumstance like what happened in Chardon," Edelman said. "This would protect you from just about any handgun on the market."

The Suburban Police Anti-Crime Network maintains a SWAT team of officers from Mayfield Village, Mayfield Heights, Highland Heights, Gates Mills, Lyndhurst and Richmond Heights. However, getting the team mobilized and to the scene could take about a hour and officers at the scene can't always wait that long to take action, Edelman said.

Edelman also would like to spend $8,000 for eight tactical rifles, a purchase he said the department has been talking about for years. He said officers are armed with pistols and shotguns, but those aren't always the best weapons for the situation.

"They have their limitations," he said. "The rifles offer much greater accuracy and distance."