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MUNCIE, Ind. — Muncie Community Schools has secured $600,000 in state and federal grants to upgrade security.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) awarded the district $500,000 for 482 new cameras to be installed throughout school facilities.

The new devices, which will replace 322 existing cameras, are cloud-based with updated technology that will allow for remote access and enhanced security, the district says.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security awarded another $100,000 for the purchase of 28 new portable radios for staff use during regular operations and in case of emergency.

“We had to beat out many other applicants for these funds, which indicates that others believe in our plans and what we’re doing to provide the best learning environment possible for our students and staff,” CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski said in a news release.

“The radios will help buildings operate more efficiently by allowing more administrators, staff and SROs (School Resource Officers) to be directly connected, so an emergency-type situation can be responded to more quickly, especially if additional resources are needed, like an ambulance for instance,” MCS spokesman Andy Klotz told The Star Press.

“The cameras will be additional deterrents to improper behavior as well as provide a resource to determine facts of specific events that occurred and need to be examined more closely,” he went on.

The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program is a competitive award program designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs.

More than 500 school districts applied for the federal dollars this fiscal year; 160 of them received awards. Muncie tied for the largest award in the state:

  • Metropolitan School District of Warren Township — $374,966
  • Metropolitan School District of Wabash County — $345,000
  • Warsaw Community Schools — $499,424
  • East Allen County Schools — $46,088
  • Elkhart Community Schools — $396,825
  • Seymour Community School Corporation — $349,463
  • Muncie Community Schools — $500,000 
  • MSD of Lawrence Township —$500,000

The COPS funding can be used to fund coordination with local law enforcement;

training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency, or other security improvements.

MORE MUNCIE SCHOOLS COVERAGE:

►Muncie Community Schools enrollment stabilizing

► MCS reaction to George Floyd killing

►Injured Monroe Central SRO expected back

Contact Seth Slabaugh at 765 716-6580 or [email protected]

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