Uniformed Security Officers Hired for Port Chester Schools

A very visible new security measure can be seen at Port Chester public schools starting today in the form of uniformed security guards.

Schools Superintendent Edward Kliszus said school staff members who doubled as "greeters" have been replaced by trained security officers who will monitor access to the schools. The Port Chester school board approved a contract on Wednesday that paved the way for the security officers to start work today.

School officials said the security officers will be in uniform, but are not armed. The security officers are required to have at least an associate's degree and be state certified.

Kliszus said the security officers will be working directly with school principals. Also, the district has the option of having a security officer replaced if school officials are not satisfied by the perfromance of that individual.

The decision to hire security officers was one of a series of security measures taken by Port Chester schools in the wake of the deadly Newtown, CT, shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Kliszus said the district has been working closely with Port Chester and Rye Brook police in assessing the security and safety needs of the schools.

After the Sandy Hook incident, the district established the "greeters" with existing staff members to help control access to the schools. Kliszus said the new security officers will be at schools throughout the regular school day and into the early evening for after-school activities.

Other steps taken:

- Restricting entry to schools through a single, locked door.

- Enforcing district policies for identification for staff and visitors.

- Increased school lockdown drills that include participation by local police.

Kliszus, along with school officials from throughout Westchester County, took place in a school safety and security seminar Wednesday at SUNY Purchase. Former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton, along with a litany of experts, stressed that collaboration between local stakeholders is important in preventing another Newtown-style school tragedy.

"The number one message was collaboration with law enforcement," Kliszus said. "That's something we've been doing all along."

Kliszus said a focus of the seminar was school security efforts need to be steady and schools need to continue seeking information.

"It has to be ongoing,"  Kliszus said. "We remain dilligent."

Kliszus noted that some simple measures, like signing-in visitors and making sure they have vistor ID, will require efforts by the entire school community to ensure they are effective. And, that includes making sure school staff cary their ID, too.

As school employees enter for work, they'll be required to have ID. Kliszus says that includes him, too.