Security Cameras Considered for Bedminster School

With schools around the county considering plans for improving security following the December shootings in Newtown, Conn., Bedminster Township School is looking into options that include surveillance cameras and changes to locks.

Board of education member Brian Haggerty said at Thursday’s board of education meeting that the facilities and finance committee is looking over its options.

“We have been looking at safety and security projects,” he said. “They are funded out of capital reserves.”

Those changes include surveillance cameras in the building and changes to the locks, Haggerty said.

In addition, Haggerty said, the school already has in place a policy requiring all visitors to sign it at the front desk when they arrive—although that policy was in place before the shootings.

“We are ensuring that all visitors are accounted for from the time they enter the building to the time they exit the building,” Superintendent Carolyn Koos said.

Koos said they have held debriefings with administration, in addition to discussions with the facilities and finance committee and safety teams to determine different ways of increasing school security.

With some plans being prepared, Koos said, there are some that will be funded immediately out of this year’s budget, and others that will be paid for in the 2013-2014 budget.

Koos said that although they do have some plans ready, she does not want to discuss them fully.

“Some of the projects Mr. Haggerty listed will be addressed, but for safety sake, we cannot go into detail,” she said.

What kinds of safety measures would you like to see taken at the Bedminster Township School?