A school security committee has recommended that Enfield place an armed guard in every school in town.
The committee, consisting of members of the Town Council, Board of Education, police department and other town officials, was convened shortly after the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown that left 20 children and six educators dead.
Committee co-chairs Tim Neville of the school board and Greg Stokes of the Town Council, as well as police and town officials, met with media representatives Tuesday afternoon following an executive session meeting. The committee has handled its work behind closed doors since its inception, Stokes explained.
"We don't want children dying, we don't want staff dying, and we don't want teachers dying," Stokes said.
The committee recommends that armed security officers would work initially during normal school hours. Just one door would be unlocked from the outside during the day, which the guard would man and screen individuals entering the building. Metal detectors may be considered as well, Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said.
In the town's two high schools and the middle school, the guards would be working in addition to the school resource officers already assigned to the buildings, Sferrazza said. He said the recruitment process has already started, beginning with retired police officers.
"We want career people with training in firearms," Sferrazza said.
Plans call for the guards to be in place no later than the beginning of the new school year in September, according to Town Manager Matt Coppler. He estimated initial startup cost would be around $650,000, then drop to the low $500,000 range after the first year.
The Town Council and Board of Education must vote on the recommendation before it is officially enacted. Those votes will come later this month.
A community conversation about the plans will be held Wednesday, March 27 at a time and location to be announced. The public is invited to attend that forum and ask questions of committee members.