Farmington School Officials Opt Not to Release Specifics on Security Upgrades

After a recent review of the security Farmington Public Schools in light of the Dec. 14 school shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, officials identified strongpoints in district procedures and steps to enhance student safety.

When asked about security upgrades planned, Farmington Superintendent Kathleen Greider declined to comment specifically as a safety precaution.

"We are following the recommendation of law enforcement in not providing information on specific security upgrades," Greider wrote in an email to Patch. "Law enforcement has recommended that we refrain from providing specific details on security enhancements as this could influence an individual’s actions and compromise the safety of our students and faculty."

However, she said that one of the main recommendations in the review was the need to have  "dedicated personnel to monitor visitor access to school buildings."

"In addition to personnel for visitor access monitoring, the Farmington Police Department, in collaboration with the Farmington schools, applied for a competitive grant to add one School Resource Officer," she said.

The Town Council voted unanimously in June to authorize Town Manager Kathleen Eagen to apply for the state-level COPS grant for that purpose.  

Other recommendations included equipment upgrades identified in the review, addressing "the current level of accessibility to schools and school grounds when schools are in session," assessing cell phone coverage in Farmington schools and updating security policies as needed. 

At a June school board meeting, Farmington school officials said the district is "ahead of the curve" when it comes to safety and security in the town's public schools.

The review included feedback from the Farmington police, school and central office staff, parents and residents, school building and grounds walkthroughs and analysis of the district's current "emergency and safety plans," according to Greider. 

She said that the security review indicated strong collaboration and communication between the schools, town officials, police department and firefighters. The schools also do "regular emergency drills," she said.

School officials met with the Town Council to discuss school security on June 25.

Moving forward, the board plans on monitoring updates from the state's Sandy Hook Advisory Committee and new legislation and working with the police department to update the district's emergency plans.