MCSD has new plans for its security to ensure safety of students

COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - School starts in less than a week for Muscogee County students.

As they head back to school, the district is taking extra steps to beef up security.

The Muscogee County School Board is making changes to its security this school year.

This comes after board members voted to hire more school resource officers.

By hiring these officers, it will bring the total count to 21.

The school district's Director of Communications Mercedes Parham says positions for school chief of police and captain remain open.

Once these positions are filled, the district will begin hiring those extra resource officers.

Parham says this isn't an easy process, but they are working to ensure things will be in place within a proper time frame.

"Realistically and ideally it would be late fall, but it will not be ready for the first day of school. It will be a transition and even once those positions are filled, because of the amount of training required to prepare those positions for a school level security and what's recommended, it will be a transitional period," she said.

They have also completed internal training for front desk staff on visitation policies. This is making sure they know who enters the building and have better ways to spot any possible threat.

She also mentions that parents need to crack down and start checking backpacks for any type of weapons your child may want to bring to school.

Whether it be for ill intent or not, weapons of any kind are forbidden on school property.

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