Video: Area Schools Increase Security Since Conn. School Shooting

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LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been almost a year since 26 people were killed from a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, and because of it, several North Mississippi schools have made changes to their security.

“That was a terrible tragedy, and it caused us all to step back and take another look at what we’re doing,” said Supt. Lynn Wright, Lowndes County School District.

Schools in both Lowndes and Monroe Counties have since had intruder drills on their campuses.

Hamilton has added more security cameras, and posted numbers on their classrooms.

“That way in the case of a lockdown, where the police can’t get into the building, they’ll know what room number they’re looking at if there’s an issue in there,” said Hamilton principal Tim Dickerson.

WCBI had no trouble getting into the Hamilton High School building, but Dickerson says that doesn’t mean just anyone can come onto campus.

“If anybody walks in and goes past our offices, we do some investigating to see who it is, and they’re supposed to sign in,” he said. “If there’s an issue, then we get our officer involved.”

Lowndes County leaders have nearly doubled their security cameras at the schools, and now they’re also able to monitor the campuses from the district office.

They’ve even hired more security officers.

“It helps to have a uniformed person in the building, and they’re a tremendous relief to know that they’re in the buildings watching over our kids,” Wright said.

Hamiliton’s school resource officer is also doing more patrolling.

“He likes to go up and down the hallways. He checks the classrooms. He makes himself visible, and that way it deters a lot of people from coming on campus that might otherwise feel comfortable coming,” Dickerson said.

It’s more security, which school leaders say brings them peace of mind.

Dickerson tells WCBI safety is discussed every week, and hopes to eventually add more cameras once there is funding available.

Wright says they are in the process of installing new security doors on the front of school buildings, which should be finished by the end of the school year.