Florida

Students Will See New Security Enhancements at Broward Schools

As Broward students begin a new school year Wednesday, they should expect to see new security enhancements at every public school in the district.

The sixth largest school district in the nation -- and the second largest in Florida -- has been working all summer to make sure staff and facilities are adequately prepared as part of a $26 million-dollar plan for tighter security at campuses all across Broward County.

Some security enhancements include upgraded security cameras, ID badges that students, faculty and staff should wear at all times, and expanded mental health services.

The Broward Sheriff's Office tweeted Tuesday about the added security measures it's provided to schools across the county, including an armed BSO School Resource Deputy that will be on duty during school hours, additional armed security for every public school campus, and the launch of SaferWatch, an app where students, faculty and parents can tip off law enforcement about a variety of incidents.

The district is working to fulfill a new state law that requires at least one armed person on every school campus. Due to a shortage of cops, Broward County is training armed guardians that will patrol elementary schools. The city of Fort Lauderdale also announced it is supplying 13 police officers to Broward schools for the first five days of classes.

Six months after the mass shooting, Parkland has seen a new police captain and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has a new upgraded security system.

"Everybody just wants to get back to the way things were or as close to that," said police Capt. Chris Mulligan. "And our job is to get out to the community and just try and reassure them as much as possible that what we are working for as well."

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