New School Year Brings New Security Upgrades in Farmington

With Farmington Public Schools back in session, the district will start implementing the first phase of security upgrades. 

Farmington is one of many districts enhancing school security in the wake of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, though officials say that discussions on improving school security date back as far as Columbine.

A second school resource officer to cover three Farmington schools and seven full-time school monitors are included in the security increases.

The Central Office is not releasing further information on the security upgrades in the schools for safety reasons.

"We are following the recommendation of law enforcement in not providing information on specific security upgrades," Farmington Superintendent Kathy Grieder 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."

Security consultant Steve Alvey evaluated the security procedures and features at Farmington schools, working with the Farmington Police Department to do so, and made several recommendations to the district.

He advised the district to add a second school resource officer as a high priority item. The police officer will be hired from in house and split coverage of the elementary, upper elementary and middle schools with the current school resource officer.

One school resource officer would be assigned to Irving A. Robbins Middle School, East Farms and Noah Wallace and the other would focus on West Woods Upper Elementary School, West District and Union School. Farmington High School already has a youth officer assigned to it. 

"The consultant recommended an additional officer to split the six schools and provide enhanced programming and an increased law enforcement presence across all K-8 schools," Grieder said.