Utah School Security Proposal Seeks $195 Million

Utah School Security Proposal Seeks $195 Million

A proposal presented to a legislative committee seeks more than $195 million for Utah school security measures

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • November 23, 2018

A proposal presented to a legislative committee seeks more than $195 million for Utah school security measures and an additional $30 million to hire or contract with mental health and school safety personnel who would work in the schools. 

While any schools have already paid for safety improvements such as installing surveillance cameras, vestibule doors that must be opened by school personnel and even fire doors capable of sealing off wings of a school, the plan seeks $164 million in one-time funding to "increase on-site protection and resources through construction."

The State School Board will establish rules to determine how to distribute funding for personnel or physical improvements to schools, according to the proposal. 

The plan also seeks nearly $1.3 million for the State Board of Education to fund and maintain a threat assessment database tool; $180,000 for a safety analyst position and $65,000 for mental health support services training.

It also asked for $300,000 to be appropriated to other agencies, half for a school-public safety law enforcement liaison hired by the Department of Public Safety and the rest for the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health to employ a school-based mental health specialist. Both would be housed in the offices of the Utah State Board of Education.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

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