VIGO CO, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — After 19 children and 2 teachers were killed in a Texas classroom, parents across the country are asking “What is being done to keep our kids safe?”
Here in Vigo County, the Vigo County School Corporation is adding extra security at all schools until the end of the year on Friday.
Agencies from West Terre Haute, THPD and the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office will be assisting.
The Corporation has taken proactive measures since the Sandy Hook school shooting, according to Kurt Brinegar, Coordinator of Safety and Security with VCSC.
All schools are locked up and guarded by a school protection officer. Anyone visiting the facility must pass clearance.
“We take one ounce of prevention to help with a whole lot. If it’s a little inconvenience with you at that moment, think of the repercussions would be if we didn’t do that,” He added.
SPOs are active or retired law enforcement and at times, retired military.
If they lack the credentials to make an arrest, they can be appointed as a special deputy through the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office.
An SPO’s training is similar to that of a deputy’s, it entails firearms and active shooter response.
“We had to do something just to make us feel like we’re doing the most to do the best we can do to keep our schools and kids safe. I have to think we prevented something bad from happening,” Sheriff John Plasse, said.
Next academic year, VCSC will look to address its standard response protocol.
That entails simplifying and using the same terminology for the names of safety procedures.
Changes to the evacuation procedures were made after a call-in threat to Terre Haute North High School in 2017. A link to that full story can be found below.
As a result, each school now has an off-site location set up to help with the reunification process between students and parents.
“You kind of have to look at what we’re doing to here to help prevent and mitigate these issues,” Brinegar added.
In 2018, as a result of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people, the state and the federal government allocated funds for schools to improve security measures.
VCSC continues to use that money and has since upgraded security cameras, bought safety equipment and hired additional staff.
