Vigo County schools will add security
May 26—For the rest of the school year and at graduation ceremonies, all Vigo County School Corp. schools will have additional law enforcement patrols, a response to Tuesday's elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
The last day of school in Vigo County is Friday, an early release day.
That added presence is for school and related events, including outdoor events.
"The school district is working with our local law enforcement to help beef up patrols in each of the schools," said Kurt Brinegar, VCSC coordinator of safety and security.
The district is working with the Terre Haute Police Department, Vigo County Sheriff's Office and West Terre Haute police, which are providing extra foot patrols, he said.
"They check in with our people and walk around and talk to some people. ... Being seen and visible is an important part of the deterrent," Brinegar said.
Also, for several years, VCSC schools have had school protection officers, who are armed and full-time law enforcement or deputized through the sheriff's office as special deputies.
The district has 27 facilities with children, and there are protection officers at each one, including the Aquatic Center. North, South and West Vigo high schools each have three SPOs, while Booker T. Washington High School has one.
In other security measures, school protection officers screen visitors at the main entrance, and "everything else should be locked," he said. The protection officers regularly check doors to the outside to make sure they are locked.
"Not just anybody can come into our buildings," Brinegar said. That screening may sometimes be an inconvenience for parents and other visitors, "but that little bit of inconvenience is the safety part."
While the district does lock doors and screen people as best it can, it also tries to do so without infringing on the rights of parents.
"I'm hoping they (parents) feel comfortable with the kids going to our schools," he said. "I'm hopeful."
Brinegar also noted that VCSC schools have many programs in place to work with families if parents have concerns their children may have mental health issues.
If parents have concerns about their child, they can reach out to their schools. "We have mental health professionals in every one of our buildings," he said.
In response to Tuesday's school shooting in Texas, Brinegar said the district will determine any changes or added training that may be necessary for the protection officers.
The protection officers train regularly, and that training changes each year based on "whatever times we need to deal with," he said.
What happened in Texas Tuesday "is a horrible feeling. I'm a dad, too. I have children in the schools," Brinegar said. "It's a horrible situation that anybody would have to go through. It's senseless."
