Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said if someone asked him years ago he would've been against arming teachers in schools, but now his opinion has changed.

Sheriff Chitwood is hoping allowing teachers to carry guns could soon be an option.

"I think it’s time for us to fight back," said Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

Volusia resident Roberta Cunningham comes from a family of teachers and has great grandchildren still in grade school, so she supports arming teachers.

"I think that's the only way they can be protected," said Roberta, great grandparent.

He said last week's Parkland shooting deaths of 17 students and teachers in a South Florida school was enough to say teachers need to strap up.

"We have to do something because we have our teachers shielding their students with their body, and they’re being killed when in reality, they could return fire and kill that guy. We deputize you, we train you, and your whole purpose in life is only God forbid and active shooter comes in," said Sheriff Chitwood.

Sheriff Chitwood said his ideal program would come with hundreds of specialized hours of training in mental health, background and psychological screenings just like deputies.

The sheriff said they would start with teachers and staff who are already concealed weapons license holders and those with a military or law enforcement background.

"We want good people that we can train, can take commands, have a level head. God forbid that day happens, and just take the shooter out," said Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

Sheriff Chitwood said there are 77 schools in Volusia County, but only about one-third of them have a resource officer or deputy, so his plan is to have more than one person armed on school campuses.

He said those teachers identities will be kept secret, except for the principal, in case someone who knows the school's layout tries to carry out an attack.

"I think a gun would be a deterrent for them from doing it if they knew might get killed,"

Sheriff Chitwood told Spectrum News 13 his plan would keep the body count down in case there is a shooter and believes the measure will finally save lives.

"What point and time do we say we owe this to our children?" asked Chitwood.

Sheriff Chitwood said right now they're running a pilot program like this in Polk County.