Pushing for safer schools, that's the Indiana Attorney General's plan. Greg Zoeller visited the EVSC and met with southwestern Indiana leaders. The Mayor of Huntingburg spoke at Thursday's news conference. He says what happened in Connecticut could happen in any small town, and that's why he's encouraged about the state's plans to add more school resource officers.
There are three schools in the City of Huntingburg, and a fourth school just a few miles away. Mayor Denny Spinner says they have no school resource officers, and he hopes that will soon change.
"Rural communities sometimes do not have the resources like Evansville Vanderburgh County schools or the City of Evansville have, so this funding mechanism is something that we're very interested in," Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner said.
The Indiana legislature is considering Senate Bill 1, which would provide funds to pay for school resource officers. Since the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last month, many school boards and administrators are looking at ways to further enhance safety in their buildings and classrooms.
"Bullying and some of the drugs and weapons that we find, if they develop a relationship with law enforcement it helps those members of law enforcement serve and protect all the better," IN Attorney General, Greg Zoeller said.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is urging continued focus on coordinated school safety efforts. He visited the EVSC, which has already partnered with local law enforcement. Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams says this area is way ahead of the curve when it comes to school safety, but they need more financial help from the state.
"You know we're focusing right now on how to react to something horrible happening. But we always need to keep our eye on the ball and remember that we need to be preventing every opportunity we can get," Sheriff Eric Williams said.
The security issue is the same no matter where the school is, and today, these officials are working together to provide a safer environment for all students.
"The incident at Sandy Hook kind of brought it home that it can happen in a community much like Huntingburg. We're a very close knit community, we have a pretty good safe school, safe environment, but the incident at Sandy Hook kinda said, well it can happen anywhere," Mayor Spinner said.
The Attorney General says if everything goes as planned, Indiana schools could see more school resource officers by the next school year.
There are three schools in the City of Huntingburg, and a fourth school just a few miles away. Mayor Denny Spinner says they have no school resource officers, and he hopes that will soon change.
"Rural communities sometimes do not have the resources like Evansville Vanderburgh County schools or the City of Evansville have, so this funding mechanism is something that we're very interested in," Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner said.
The Indiana legislature is considering Senate Bill 1, which would provide funds to pay for school resource officers. Since the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last month, many school boards and administrators are looking at ways to further enhance safety in their buildings and classrooms.
"Bullying and some of the drugs and weapons that we find, if they develop a relationship with law enforcement it helps those members of law enforcement serve and protect all the better," IN Attorney General, Greg Zoeller said.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is urging continued focus on coordinated school safety efforts. He visited the EVSC, which has already partnered with local law enforcement. Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams says this area is way ahead of the curve when it comes to school safety, but they need more financial help from the state.
"You know we're focusing right now on how to react to something horrible happening. But we always need to keep our eye on the ball and remember that we need to be preventing every opportunity we can get," Sheriff Eric Williams said.
The security issue is the same no matter where the school is, and today, these officials are working together to provide a safer environment for all students.
"The incident at Sandy Hook kind of brought it home that it can happen in a community much like Huntingburg. We're a very close knit community, we have a pretty good safe school, safe environment, but the incident at Sandy Hook kinda said, well it can happen anywhere," Mayor Spinner said.
The Attorney General says if everything goes as planned, Indiana schools could see more school resource officers by the next school year.
