Deputies at Elementary Schools an Issue for Consideration

In the wake of the mass shooting Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is looking at long-term ways to better protect the county's elementary schools.

According to sheriff's spokesman Detective Larry McKinnon, the sheriff's office is working with the Hillsborough County School Board to develop safeguards to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring at a local elementary school.

McKinnon said the sheriff's office is developing a committee to look into ways to better protect elementary students, including the possibility of posting permanent deputies at elementary schools.

The sheriff's office already has school resource deputies assigned to middle and high schools throughout the county.

"Of course, there's a cost associated with posting deputies at elementary schools and we have to determine where the funding will come from," said McKinnon. "But nothing is out of range when it comes to the safety of our kids."

• For more on this story, read Sheriff To Consider Posting Deputies at Hillsborough County Elementary Schools, at Bloomingdale-Riverview Patch.

______________

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Mango Student Thanks Sheriff's Corporal for Security Support at School

_____________