Cops Coming to Westchase Schools?

The question of whether or not to post deputies on Hillsborough County elementary school campuses has been a hot-button issue ever since the Dec. 14, 2012, Newtown, Conn., massacre rocked the nation.

While Hillsborough has never witnessed an attack that compares to Newtown’s slaying of 20 children and six adults, fears have run high that it could happen here. Bullets found on Hillsborough buses in the wake of the attack and other subsequent lockdown situations, including Brandon’s recent pepper spray incident, have given rise to a desire to see security increased.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee thinks he has a solution that could bolster the security measures already put into place by the school board. In addition to the $1 million the board has agreed to spend to improve campus safety, Gee wants to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services grant to help fund 24 new deputy positions meant to serve schools, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Gee’s proposal was floated by the school board May 7 and met with tentative approval. It is unclear at this time how much money the grant would bring in to pay for the deputies or how the county would pay for the posts once a three-year grant cycle ran out. It’s also unclear at this point if Hillsborough would even win the funding – the application deadline is later this month.

Shortly after the Newtown shootings, Patch readers sounded off about posting deputies in schools.

“We should have a police officer at every school and during school hours for every school dispatch should see to it that than another officer is always within 1 mile of every school,” commented Patch reader Ed Harris.

Jay Smiley didn’t necessarily agree.

“We need metal detecting doors at each entrance of all schools. if we prevent weapons from getting in the schools we can effectively solve this problem,” he said.

What do you think, Westchase? Is it time to make deputies a part of campus life at area elementary schools? Tell us what you think by commenting below.

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