Temple ISD: Eight campuses to add armed security officers
Temple TX July 15th, 2023
The Temple Independent School District will continue to heighten its security this fall when eight new armed security guards are added to campuses, a move that trustees approved during a regular meeting on Monday.
These armed security guards, who are being contracted through Killeen-based American Paratus, will be dispersed evenly between eight campuses: Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy, Cater Elementary, Hector P. Garcia Elementary, Kennedy Powell Elementary, Raye-Allen Elementary, Scott Elementary, Western Hills
The district will continue to employ seven school resource officers assigned to:
Temple High School
Wheatley Alternative Education Center
Bonham Middle School
Lamar Middle School
Travis Science Academy
Jefferson Elementary
Thornton Elementary
With the hiring of the additional armed security officers, Temple ISD will have full-time, armed security officers at every campus in the district starting with the 2023-2024 school year. The district will also continue to employ non-commissioned security officers at all secondary campuses.
TISD is collaborating with the Temple Police Department and Chief Shawn Reynolds on implementation and to ensure that the new security officers will be integrated into the district’s overall safety and security plans.
“Student and staff safety are job one. We have worked hand-in-hand with the Temple Police Department on all safety measures and couldn’t ask for better counsel and support,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, superintendent of Temple schools. “Deploying a 1:1 campus to trained armed personnel ratio will reduce response time and create a more secure environment for our children and staff members.”
Some of these changes are in response to the passage of HB3, which requires armed security officers at each campus, in addition to other requirements to be determined by the School Safety Center. The limited funding provided by that bill is not adequate to cover the required costs, however, even with the lack of sufficient legislative funding, TISD is moving forward with the implementation of the armed security requirement as safety remains one of the district’s highest priorities.
“Ensuring the safety of our students and staff always has and always will be a priority for the board,” said Dan Posey, president of the TISD board of trustees. “We remain hopeful that the legislature will recognize that providing additional safety measures comes at an increased cost that is not adequately provisioned through current law. Regardless, Temple ISD will start the 2023-2024 school year with armed security officers on all campuses.”
