Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, Board of Education President Julie Hummer, Superintendent George Arlotto and Police Chief Tim Altomare have announced funding the county will propose to protect the school system’s more than 82,000 students from harm.
The $14.8 million proposal will fund the following.
  • 20 additional school resource officers (SROs), enough to station one at every county high school and middle school
  • More than 1,500 cameras for schools
  • Lock upgrades for 4,000 doors in county schools
  • Double-door security systems at all high schools
  • Protective tactical equipment for every school
The plan would be funded over two years. The county expects that some of the costs of these initiatives will be defrayed by state funds.
Arlotto also announced that the school system will reinstitute its School Safety and Security Council. The council is composed of school, county, law enforcement and community officials, as well as parents and students. The superintendent also announced schools will be asked to make space available for patrol officers to use on down time in between calls, so that those officers can provide additional presence in the county’s 120-plus school facilities.