'With A Heavy Heart': Smithtown School District Hiring Armed Security Guards (Poll)
Should schools have armed security guards?
- Yes
- No
In a message to parents Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Smithtown Central School District announced that its Board of Education had begun searching for a security firm to add armed guards to all 12 of its schools. The guards will patrol the exterior perimeters and will not be posted inside the buildings.
“While our security enhancements related to staffing, infrastructure, training, and operational protocols have evolved and improved over time, we have come to the stark realization that there is more we can do to better protect the members of this school community,” Superintendent Mark Secaur said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, as we are reminded all too often by the news reports from across the nation, schools have occasionally been viewed as ‘soft’ targets and the scene of senseless tragedies caused by ‘active shooters,’ he continued.
“With this in mind, and with a heavy heart, our district has made the decision to bolster our security detail by adding armed guards to the exterior perimeter of each of our schools to strengthen our ability to respond during a crisis, as well as to deter those who may seek to do harm.”
A district spokesperson told Daily Voice the plan is to have guards hired, trained, and in place by the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. The district estimates that the move will cost approximately $850,000 per school year.
Secaur said the guards will undergo required training sessions each year and will need to requalify through periodic performance-based testing “to ensure they will perform at an optimal level if ever called upon.”
The district will not publicize where guards are working at a given time to avoid “compromising their safety and effectiveness,” Secaur said.
“This decision has not come lightly, but we believe that this is a necessary step to improve our approach to the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, and community members.”
Not surprisingly, the move has garnered plenty of feedback from those on either side of the debate on social media.
What do you think: Should schools have armed security guards on campus? Sound off in our poll above.
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