Superintendent: 'I Do Not Support Armed Guards in Our Schools'

Commack School District Superintendent Donald James said he is against having armed guards in the buildings, during a Board of Education meeting Wednesday.

At the meeting, district officials reviewed the current security policy in place, which was revised after the shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Currently 85 percent of all security guards on the school's staff have at least five years of law enforcement experience, Richard Schramm, facilities administrator for Commack School District said. In 2001, the district made it a requirement for newly hired security guards to have a law enforcement background. The other 15 percent were hired before the policy was in effect.

Schramm said that there are 24 guards among the district eight school buildings, and two patrols during school hours. At night and on weekends, the district relies on its security base, which provides access to all video surveillance cameras in the district. He added that patrols are also dispatched during non-school hours. 

Changes since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School include having full-time security staff at all district primary and intermediate schools, as well as security radios.

Lockdown and lockout procedures have been revised throughout the district and were submitted to the Suffolk County Police Department, Schramm said.

Also new this year, is an electric door strike-buzzer system, which was installed at the main entrances of the High School and Middle School. 

Although the majority of the district's security staff has a background in the police force, James said he is against having them carry guns.

"As superintendent, I do not support armed guards in our schools," he said. 

James said that there is currently a school committee working on formal recommendations for long term changes to the security plan, but that he does not personally support armed security. The Board of Education will make the ultimate decision on any security policy changes that the committee suggests.