Law enforcement agencies and school districts in Upshur County are receiving funding

UPSHUR COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) – Several law enforcement agencies and school districts received funding for school safety including the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Powell.

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Upshur County Sheriff Building

The sheriff’s department in Upshur County received over $140,000 to use to keep children safe.

“To receive a gift like this in the form of a grant really just fast tracks a lot of the efforts that we would’ve wanted to do anyway so we’re excited about it,” says Director of Safety and Emergency Preparedness Dr. Jeffery Harvey.

The United States Department of Justice has provided the funding to Upshur County for the third year in a row.

“In the past we have upgraded camera surveillance systems in the schools, we also have an active project that updates door security capabilities at each one of the schools,” says Harvey.

This years grant will allow them to lessen the time it takes to notify those within the schools and the community response agencies about an emergency.

“Based off of some training that’s been conducted over the years it’s proven that it takes almost three minutes for us to notify the entire building so when we’re talking seconds, seconds matter and seconds can save lives,” says Chief Deputy Adam Gissy.

“We saw over the years how school violence has rose. I certainly feel it was very wise and very prudent of the Upshur County Commission and Upshur County BOE to seek these funds,” says Gissy.

Upshur County is one in four counties in the area to receive funding for school safety this year.

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