West Towson Elementary Hosts $9.8 Million School Security Announcement

Baltimore County officials vowed Tuesday to improve security at public schools, announcing a proposal to put $9.8 million toward the effort over a three-year period.

“Every child and teacher deserves to be safe at school, and we are hitting the fast-forward button here to get this technology in place in all of our schools as quickly as possible,” County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a press conference Tuesday at West Towson Elementary School.

In early 2014, Baltimore County reported that it had outfitted its 107 public elementary schools with $3.7 million worth of equipment, including cameras and a new identification card system.

“With support from county government and police, we have made great strides in improving security at all of our schools,” Superintendent Dallas Dance said. “This additional funding is an important next step in both enhancing and adding to those safety measures.”

The $9.8 million project proposed Tuesday will go toward the following improvements, according to a statement from Baltimore County:

• Speeding up front-door card reader installation at all schools (only elementary schools have them now)
• Addition of card readers to entrances besides front entryway
• Completion of camera installation at all schools
• Replacing older cameras with new ones so police can see security feeds from vehicles, computers and mobile devices

Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson said the new camera system has already proven useful in police work, leading to the arrest of an adult who wandered into a child’s bathroom at an elementary school, according to WBAL.

Having the cameras updated systemwide would allow police to see all schools’ security feeds remotely, including middle and high schools.

The county council will review the proposal at its Nov. 3 meeting.

Photo Credit: Baltimore County Government/Flickr.

Related: Baltimore County Ramps Up Security at Elementary Schools