LEWES, Del. - Cape Henlopen School District Superintendent Bob Fulton outlined a new school safety plan at the Board of Education meeting Thursday night.
Concerned members of the community, including the Sussex County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #2, showed up at the meeting at Love Creek Elementary School. FOP Lodge #2 President Greg Fuller says the goal was to get the district to consider adding armed constables.
"The same thing with these these school shootings that have been going on all over our country, the faster the response, the more timely response will alleviate the loss of life," Fuller says.
Fuller said at the meeting that his wish was granted after Fulton unveiled a plan to add more school resource officers and constables to schools in the district by the start of the next school year. That plan includes adding more school resource officers and adding a constable to each school that doesn't have already have one.
"These constables will serve as SRO type people," Fulton says. "They won't have arrest powers, but they will have a weapon and they will have training and expectations for upkeep and keeping up with all their certifications to do the job of the constable."
Fulton says Cape has put a request in with the state to add a 4th school resource officer. He says the district is in talks with the City of Lewes about creating a school resource officer position with the department there.Â
The City of Lewes also met today. Chief Thomas Spell said early ideas include creating one new position for an officer to be shared between lewes elementary and one more school. The officer would work in the schools for nine months and serve in the community as a normal officer during the busy summer season. This is just an idea in Lewes right now that will continue to be discussed.
Fulton says constables are just part of the answer and that work being done towards mental health solutions will also help.Â
The new school safety plan is expected to be voted on at the next Board of Education Meeting.