New security plan gives deputies bigger role in Brevard Co. schools

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The Brevard County Sheriff's Office is about to take a more active role at public schools.

Wednesday night the school board voted to place the Sheriff's Office in charge of district security.

“Having a seamless delivery of communications is going to help us be consistent throughout the county in how we respond to school needs,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

Over the last several months Ivey has been in talks with Brevard County schools about ways to enhance security and communications between the district and law enforcement.

It's a conversation that was spurred by the 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.

Under the new plan a Sheriff's Office lieutenant with 30 years of law enforcement training in site security and crime prevention will oversee school security.

“For us it seems like a good situation,” said  parent Jeff Jaecklein.

Jaecklein has three children in Brevard public schools.  Security concerns at one of their schools inspired him to form POPS, which stands for parents on patrol.

Ivey said parents can also expect to see a larger uniformed presence at school events and the integration of different programs like college-bound safety.

“These are opportunities for law enforcement to be fully engaged and fully enforced in schools,” Ivey said.

WFTV