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Clark County Commissioners Approve Extra Security For Schools

Clark County Commissioners have agreed to hire two Clark County deputies to provide extra security for county schools. The plan is part of an ongoing effort to make schools safer without having to arm teachers.

The NRA's national effort to arm teachers in public and private schools after the tragic Newtown, Connecticut shootings received support from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, who supported police academy firearms training for school administrators, staff and teachers.

But in Clark County, city and rural superintendents say they prefer to have a safety plan that would add trained police officers in the schools instead of armed teachers.

The Commissioners recently approved a plan to hire two deputies that will not only patrol school grounds, but will develop and review security plans.  Springfield city Schools Superintendent Dr. David Estrop says h likes the idea.

"We would prefer to have police officers who not only are licensed to carry a weapon, but have been trained to carry lethal weapons under stressful situations. That would be our preference," Estrop said.

The program will allow the two deputies to split time in all of the county schools during the school year and provide security training to teachers and staff.  Springfield City Schools already have resource officers in place.

Commissioners say it will cost $96,000 in the first year and $118,000 the following year to hire deputies for the program, which is scheduled to start in June.