Pam Bondi: Private, Armed Security Guards OK in Schools

School districts in the state of Florida can indeed hire private, armed security officers to patrol campus.

That legal opinion was issued by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi at the request of the Manatee County School District, the Bradenton Herald reported. Officials there had been wrestling with the question for months after controversy arose when the school year kicked off with Sarasota Security Patrol officers assigned to campuses across Manatee.

While the security patrol’s contract was ultimately canceled and patrol employees never carried guns on Manatee campuses, the question if they could have done so legally lingered until Bondi wrote her take on the issue.

Bondi said that state law provides schools with a “home rule” privilege that enables the use of armed private security guards, the Bradenton Herald said. That opinion is contrary to ongoing practices through which school districts contract with local law enforcement agencies or created their own, in-house security patrols.

See Also:

• Security Guards on the Job in Manatee Schools
• Manatee Exploring Legality of Arming Guards in Schools
• Security Guards Out at Manatee Schools

Although Manatee no longer has private guards in its schools, the opinion could pave the way for other districts around the state to contract out security. Bondi’s office, however, warned that her legal opinion is just advisory and isn’t considered binding in court, the paper reported.

What are your thoughts on this? Share your opinion by commenting below!

Image via Shutterstock