Superintendent Wants Armed Security At All Hillsborough Public Schools

After continuing the law enforcement presence at Hillsborough County schools when students returned from winter break, school officials Jan. 9 announced a long-term plan to continue enhanced security measures in the wake of last month's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.

During a press conference at the Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center in downtown Tampa before PTA officials and local principals, schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia discussed a "multi-faceted proposal" that will be brought to the school board at their next meeting, Jan. 15.

The plan, which school officials outlined in a document passed out to the crowd, is as follows:

• Bringing in national security expert Michael Dorn to review safety and security protocols and school access control. Currently, local law enforcement and school security staff are reviewing access at school entrances and exits. The cost to hire Dorn is $8,500.

• Securing the remaining 10 percent of schools - 90 percent are "appropriately access controlled" - at an estimated cost of about $1.2 million.

• Hiring an additional 130 security personnel so that each school in Hillsborough County has armed and trained officials at school. The security personnel will perform similar duties to school resource officers and school resource deputies. Those who may be hired include retired law enforcement officers, people with military backgrounds or inexperienced residents interested in being trained, Elia said. The Tampa Police Department and the sheriff's office added security for the 2012-13 school year, giving school board officials time to hire, train and recruit the additional security personnel. The cost to add 50 security personnel for the 2012-13 school year is $700,000, and $4.1 million for 2013-14.

• Continue crisis management training of administrators, faculty, students and staff. The cost is estimated at $40,000 through 2013-14.

"I wish that it wasn't necessary," said Elia. "Our lives have changed over the past 10-15 years. After 9-11, things were different in this country."

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Does this plan go far enough? Will it make a difference? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

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