Polk school board members approved a new plan to allow "school safety guardians" in the public schools Tuesday.
- Plan calls for 90 "school safety guardians"
- They would receive 144 hours of training by law enforcement agencies
- Proposal would cost about $3.5 million per year
The plan calls for hiring 90 new so called "school safety guardians." The guardians would be hired by the school district. They would be armed, wear a uniform and work at elementary schools.
That would mean there would either be an armed school resource officer or armed school safety guardian at all Polk public schools.
The guardians would also conduct drills, oversee crime prevention programs with students, and conduct surveillance and other security-related tasks, according to Polk County schools.
School leaders had previously discussed other options for meet new state requirements for school safety starting next school year.
They believe it would have cost an additional $15 to $16 million a year to have school resource officers at all schools. That was too expensive.
Sheriff Grady Judd had proposed training current school staff to carry weapons. Those staff members would have only been authorized to use the weapons in active shooter situations. That idea didn’t have broad support among school board members.
Judd and school superintendent Jacqueline Byrd worked with their staffs to come up with the new proposal. It would cost about $3.5 million per year.
The sheriff's office will cover the costs of training supplies and equipment.
The school safety guardians would receive 144 hours of training by law enforcement agencies. That would include at least 80 hours of firearms training.
They would also have to undergo a background check, drug test and psychological exam.
They wouldn't have law enforcement powers and would only act in active assailant situations.
People interested in becoming a school safety guardian will soon be able to sign up on the Polk County Schools website.