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Baton Rouge schools to add more security to prevent school shootings

1 year 9 months 3 weeks ago Wednesday, May 25 2022 May 25, 2022 May 25, 2022 6:35 PM May 25, 2022 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE- Just one state away in Uvalde, Texas, a school shooting stunned the nation leaving 19 children and two adults dead. It is now the second deadliest school shooting in American history. 

The tragedy has left many wondering if the next mass shooting will be in their backyards. 

Robert McGarner is the Director of Security for the East Baton Rouge School System. He says next academic year, East Baton Rouge Schools could have more security, including armed officers outside of campuses. 

"School safety officers are unarmed. School resource officers are armed. So we think by having those two layers, that will help us out a lot," McGarner said. 

He says this plan is not perfect but hopes it can help.

"It's going to be flaws to it, but I would feel more comfortable if I had a school resource officer on the outside of that campus. His duty is one thing, and one thing only, and that is to take care of the safety of that perimeter," McGarner said. 

He also says new technology can stop intruders from getting inside school buildings. 

"Every school in this parish should have a buzzer where they can buzz you in. You're not going to be able to just walk into the school like you can walk into a 7/11." 

There may not be a perfect solution to this problem, but McGarner says this is better than the alternative. 

"If a person has it in their mind that they want to come and try to do harm at a school, I would rather have an armed personnel to engage them than have nothing at all," McGarner said. 

He hopes these changes will be in place by the start of next school year. 

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