ST. LOUIS – The Bayless Consolidated School District is one of the three school districts that received over $530,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
The other school districts given funds Friday are Maries County R-1 and Schuyler County R-1. Of the $532,265 awarded, Bayless received $416,746.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The COPS Office was given the power to gift money to public agencies such as school districts in 2018 with the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act. The funds aim to improve security at schools and on school grounds.
“The three awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security,” U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen said.
