Barrow County, GA — In response to the recent mass shooting at Apalachee High School, the Barrow County Board of Education has unanimously approved the hiring of additional school police officers. Sheriff Jud Smith recommended increasing the number of school resource officers (SROs) from 17 to 25, ensuring at least two officers are assigned to every high school and one to each middle and elementary school.
During the board meeting, Sheriff Smith emphasized the importance of school safety, stating, “We’ve got the best daggone team in the state of Georgia when it comes to schools. My kids go here too. And I’m proud to be a product of here.”
Students returned to Apalachee High for the first time since the shooting, attending a half day of classes. However, concerns over safety were voiced by parents in attendance. Tinya Brown, a parent of an Apalachee student, expressed her apprehension: “I felt like I had to send her.” Another parent, Judie Lea, argued that merely adding officers isn’t sufficient and called for the installation of metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering the school.
In addition to enhancing police presence, the board has approved temporary classroom pods for Apalachee students, as over 30,000 square feet of the school remains closed due to the incident. Superintendent Dr. Dallas LaDuff reassured parents, saying, “All of our students are in school,” highlighting the community’s resilience.
The financial costs for the new officers will be shared between the Barrow County School System and the sheriff’s office. While discussions are ongoing regarding additional security measures, not all changes will be publicly disclosed.
