Fulton BOE Creates 6 New Police Officer Positions

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The Fulton County School Board has given the green light to create six new officer positions for its Police Department. Board members approved the proposal at their Tuesday, Feb. 27 working retreat.

The additional police will bring to 69 the total number of specially-trained, POST-certified FCS officers patrolling and securing district schools and auxiliary buildings. The decision is "considered a critical need and underscores the school board’s commitment to safety and security following the tragic Parkland, Florida, shooting," the system said.

“We will continually review safety measures and resources dedicated to the security of our school campuses and where necessary, we will make adjustments,” said School Board President Linda Bryant. “The safety and security of our schools, particularly our 97,000 students and 14,000 school staff, is paramount.”

The positions will be paid for through the end of the year using district reserve funds. In future years, they will be funded through the general fund (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here).

The Fulton County Schools Police Department is a division of the school system and was created in 1989 to provide armed law enforcement to more than 100 schools and buildings. In addition to hiring more officers, Fulton County Schools has funded several safety and security measures and equipment using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dollars over the last several years. They include front entry control access at all schools, trainings with local SWAT teams, specially-equipped patrol vehicles, high definition surveillance systems, and a CrisisGo app that converts school emergency response plans and safety checklists to smartphones, tablets and computers.

Image via Fulton County School System