The U.S. Department of Justice has approved a grant application submitted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for $73,444 under the COPS “Secure Our Schools” (SOS) grant.
This dollar-for-dollar matching grant award will provide Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) staff with the opportunity to enhance school safety equipment and programs to prevent school violence within the community. The grant will further efforts to place Orange County Public Schools at the forefront of innovative school safety developments. Access control systems will be installed in six schools. The schools selected are: Bay Meadows, Ridgewood Park, Cypress Park, Vista Lakes, Thornbrooke, and Ocoee elementary schools.
The systems will be linked to the OCPS Security Center which will be able to lock down any one of the schools quickly. This will afford schools and law enforcement increased capability to better monitor and secure school grounds. Further, the grant will provide national safety training for two OCPS Security team members to address school safety.
The grant also allows a turnkey fingerprinting system to be used at remote district sites to send prints and initiate subsequent criminal background checks. The system will further ensure that students are not exposed to individuals deemed inappropriate by state law. Sheriff Demings along with Superintendent Ron Blocker are committed to these partnerships which enhance the safety of our children.
WHEN: Thursday December 9, 2010 — 10:30 AM
WHERE: Educational Leadership Center – 445 W. Amelia Street
ATTENDING: Sheriff Demings, Supt. Ronald Blocker, Chief of Security Rick Harris, School Board Member Joie Cadle – District 1, School Board Member Nancy Robbinson – District 6, Fingerprinting Services Manager Keith Card
