Sgt. Jeff Heinrich of the Coral Springs Police Department was off duty and unarmed when the murderous sociopath attacked Marjory Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida, almost two weeks ago. Heinrich’s wife is assistant athletic director at the school and his son plays on the football team. Heinrich was on campus that day, watering an athletic field, but when shots rang out, he “dropped the hose … and ran towards” danger. After attending to a wounded student, he met up with a Coral Springs PD SWAT member, grabbed a tactical vest and a backup firearm, and joined the other officer to enter the school. They “systematically cleared” the area, looking for the perpetrator. He did his duty even while not knowing if his wife and son were safe.

Contrast the bravery of Sgt. Heinrich with the cowardice of not just School Resource Deputy Scot Peterson, who did not enter the school to help anyone or confront the attacker, but three other Broward County sheriff’s deputies who likewise waited outside the school. When the Coral Springs police arrived, those deputies reportedly did not follow them into the school.

Thus, yet another revelation adds to the list of failures by school administrators, federal and state government officials and law enforcement. As our Thomas Gallatin wrote Friday, “Not only was the killer a known problem to local law enforcement, but the sheriff admitted his agency had received no less than 23 calls on him since 2008, and the FBI had been warned twice about this teenager and his talk of wanting to be a school shooter. … The gross incompetence displayed by public officials is staggering.”

There are growing calls for Democrat Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel to resign. Republican state lawmakers joined that call Sunday, accusing the sheriff of “incompetence and neglect of duty.” Israel refused, however, insisting, “Of course I won’t resign.” In fact, he retorted that calls for his resignation were “shameful” and “politically motivated.” He also defiantly and arrogantly asserted, “I’ve given amazing leadership to this agency.”

Amidst all this government failure, Democrats, their Leftmedia sycophants and leftist corporate hacks are busy blaming the NRA and it’s five million law-abiding members — none of whom are culpable for any part of this sickening loss of 17 innocent lives.

We’re grateful for all the police officers and sheriff’s deputies nationwide who do respond bravely to the call. Sgt. Heinrich and his fellow officers are to be commended. But officers are human and sometimes will fail. Citizens must, therefore, be prepared to defend themselves — not be disarmed by hysterical and reactionary bad policy.