SCHOOL SECURITY

HARLAN – The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL on February 14, where 17 people were killed, has fueled efforts to enhance school safety nationwide.
    School security is becoming a growth industry, with everything from bulletproof backpacks and palm scanners to metal detectors, bulletproof glass, remote door locks and even ballistic shelters being considered by school districts nationwide.
    According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation, from 2000-2013 there were 160 active shooter incidents that have occurred in not only educational environments, but also on city streets, at military and other governmental properties, private residences, health care facilities and houses of worship.
    They occurred in small and large towns and in urban and rural areas, and according to some experts, the numbers may be on the rise, leading to national debate on everything from whether or not teachers should be armed in the classroom, to whether or not gun laws should be made tougher.
    Harlan Community Schools is watching closely the discussion on a national level, knowing full well that even though situated in what’s considered a relatively safe place in rural west central Iowa, nobody is immune to violence these days.  HCS is doing everything it can to be prepared should anything occur, said HCS Superintendent of Schools Justin Wagner.