By Amanda Spence
ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County Sheriff John Mina recently opened up about extra measures his agency is taking to ensure the county’s teachers and children remain safe throughout the new school year following the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Sheriff John Mina spoke with News 6 to discuss the training his deputies recently received, noting he has “100% confidence” in his deputies and “the training [the department] has provided them.” That training, according to WESH.com, included “realistic, active assailant training” that his deputies underwent over the summer at a local high school.
“I looked them in the eye, I talked to them before the school year started and told them, ‘You will risk your lives for the safety of our community.’ They get that, they understand that, and now they have the training and equipment to do that,” Mina told News 6.
Mina also revealed that school security will be organized in a layered approach, which will include an app that school employees can use to lock their school down.
“It’s basically a panic alarm button for violence,” Mina continued. “It has a very loud, piercing alarm that goes right to our communication center, so our dispatchers hear that alarm and immediately know there’s violence happening at that school.”
Lastly, Mina said deputies and officers who work in the area will now respond to and participate in active assailant drills that occur once a month throughout their school district – a training drill that previously only warranted the participation of teachers and students.
“Schools may see an additional presence, but that’s just good training so deputies and officers who work in that area will know exactly where to go and how to respond in the event of an active assailant,” Mina added.
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