Chesapeake School Board votes for posting security personnel in the Canadian schools amending policies and regulations. Previously, the school resource officers were in charge of the security measures in the schools across the country. The new resolution taken by the Chesapeake School Board appoints School Security Officers and the school resource officers will now be equipped with firearms as per the latest news updates.
Chesapeake School Board decides on armed security guards
“The decision that was made this evening was to really allow school security officers that are our employees to potentially be armed, and it opens the door for us to look at creative solutions,” Cotton said. “We can look at hiring people to serve in that capacity, or we could look at the partnership with the sheriff’s office or police department to add additional staff to help with the extra layer of security,” said Chesapeake Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton.
“The problem we are trying to solve is just to have more professionals on the ground serving our elementary schools in particular. Tonight was a critical step to moving in that direction,” he said. Those professionals will need to have a law enforcement background as per requirements chalked out by the Chesapeake School Board.
“They will have to be highly trained and vetted through the Chesapeake Police Department,” Cotton said. “They would also have to be retired law enforcement within the last 10 years, among other things. There will be a strenuous selection process put in place to make sure we had the right people serving in that capacity.” Chesapeake Public Schools is looking into another safety measure. Cotton said they are working to test metal detectors in three schools.
Before Monday’s vote, several Chesapeake School Board teachers spoke to The Pilot about their concerns about the new policy, saying it was a “fear reaction” and could have unintended consequences. They say additional guns in schools increase the likelihood of accidental discharges or a student obtaining the gun. They also have concerns that an inappropriate response by an armed security officer could lead to the unwarranted shooting of students with special needs or minority students. Some noted that money would be better spent on mental health initiatives.
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