West Babylon Votes To Add Armed Guards To Schools

WEST BABYLON, NY - The West Babylon school district voted to add armed security guards to local schools, officials announced on Wednesday.

According to a letter from Superintendent of Schools Yiendhy Farrelly, over the past few years the district has been enhancing safety and security measures at school buildings.

These enhancements included adding more security personnel, each of whom have a law enforcement background.

In addition, officials have established a districtwide visitor management system, enhanced the public address system to allow for better communication, increased the number of interior and exterior cameras, established a district command center and conducted countless emergency response drills with the school resource officer and director of security.

They have also authorized Suffolk County Police Department’s Homeland Security to conduct building risk assessments and active shooter trainings for staff and faculty.

Currently, the district is in the process of replacing all doors and hardware in all buildings and, this summer, will be installing double door vestibules at each school entrance.

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However, district officials have also been discussing the possibility of adding armed guards since last October.

"Many discussions between the Board and administration have occurred regarding armed guards’ qualifications, liability, guards’ involvement in day-to-day incidents, responsibilities and locations of armed versus unarmed guards, legal duties of active law enforcement versus retired law enforcement, types of weapons, ammunition, holders and vests, as well as the associated cost of armed guards," Farrelly wrote in the letter.

As a result, at Tuesday night's Board meeting, the trustees voted in favor of the placement of armed security personnel beginning in the 2019-20 school year.

"I will continue to work closely with our Board, administrators and the Suffolk County Police Department to draft policies and procedures, begin the hiring process and solidify all the confidential details," Farrelly wrote. "As you know, safety and security are of utmost importance to our Board, administration team, staff, faculty and community."

The measure came a year after school shooting in Parkland, Florida which sparked a national conversation on school safety.

What do you think of this plan? Do you agree with the decision? Let us know in the comments below.