Put Armed Guard in Elementary Schools, Consultant Urges School Board

Safe Havens International recommends that the Hillsborough County School Board place armed security in all elementary schools.

A consultant hired to review school safety policies is telling the Hillsborough County School Board to place armed officers in every elementary school. The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Michael Dorn of Safe Havens International (see Safe Havens' video with this article) was hired in January to review school safety policies and come up with a list of improvements. The decision to bring in Safe Havens followed the Sandy Hook school shootings in Connecticut. Safe Havens' plan for Hillsborough schools is to place trained, armed security guards in every elementary school. The firm said that the officers need to be screen and supervised as well. Superintendent MaryEllen Elia has estimated the cost for 130 security officers to be $700,000 for…

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Gun-Toting Westchase Teachers in the Future?

A bill under consideration in the Florida House would enable school principals to arm select teachers.

Imagine sending your children to school knowing they're protected from bad guys not by an armed deputy or security officer, but a fifth-grade English teacher with a Glock. That’s what the future may hold for school security if Florida Rep. Greg Steube, R-Bradenton, gets his way. Steube has drafted a bill that would give Florida principals the power to choose teachers who would have the right to carry weapons on campus, according to The Tampa Tribune. These teachers would have to obtain a concealed weapons permit and undergo training. Principals, by the way, would also be able to determine just how many teachers are allowed to carry, making the number vary from school to school. "It would be a good deterrent," The Tribune quoted Steube as …

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Know Any Westchase Schools That Need Security Upgrades?

Commissioners voted to spend $1 million dollars on upgrades. Where are they needed in Westchase?

School Board Agrees to Spend $1 Million on Security

The money will be used to make improvements to fences, gates and other potential points of access to campuses throughout the county.

Westchase schools in need of security upgrades might have improvements coming in the near future. The Hillsborough County School Board agreed Tuesday, Feb. 19, to spend about $1.2 million out of its emergency maintenance fund to pay for improvements at some campuses across the county, according to The Tampa Tribune. Those improvements include things like fences, gates and other upgrades. The school board has been wrestling with the idea of enhancing security on campuses countywide since last December’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. It has agreed to keep deputies assigned to elementary schools throughout the remainder of the year. A proposal by Superintendent MaryEllen Elia to spend about $700,000 to bolster its…

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Elementary School Security: Should It Be Increased?

In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, some local law enforcement agencies are beefing up patrols at elementary schools. We want to hear from you Tampa Bay on whether this is a good idea or not?

On a crisp December Friday, a lone gunman walked onto an elementary school campus in Newtown, Conn., and began a rampage that would ultimately end the lives of 20 children, all between the ages of 6 and 7, and seven adults – himself included. As the grim news unfolded, people across America sat glued to the latest media reports on the internet and television. Most asked why this happened. Some desperately sought answers to the question of how such a shooting could occur in the first place. Sanity questions aside, they wanted to know how a gunman could get onto a secured campus and wreak such havoc. That’s the question local law enforcement seems to have been wrestling with, as well. As law enforcement continues to unravel the details of …

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How Would Westchase Schools React In A Crisis?

Normally, the school's ParentLink System is used to call or email parents in a crisis situation. But, in the event of a school shooting, officials caution that they may not be able to use that system.

It's something parents would rather not think about. However, in light of today's elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., it's a topic that can hardly be ignored.  While the likelihood of there being a school shooting in Hillsborough County is slim, (Hillsborough County has the eighth largest school district in the nation and has never had a school shooting), the Hillsborough County School District isn't taking any chances when it comes to the safety of students and staff, said Cpt. Bamir Ode of the Hillsborough County School Security Services Department.  "We have a crisis plan in place for each school in the district," said Ode. "I can't discuss details of the plans because it would put the plans in jeopardy. But we're prepared if …

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