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Burke County pursues COPS grant to boost school security and light unlit ballfield
Summary
County staff said a competitive federal COPS grant would fund safety upgrades across schools and county recreation facilities; the county proposes a $40,000 cash match for lighting at Ridge Park while the school system plans cameras, portable metal detectors and badge access upgrades.
Burke County officials told commissioners Nov. 3 they have applied with Burke County Public Schools for a federal COPS (Stop School Violence) grant that would pay the majority of a safety-improvement package and require a local match.
Lindsay Stockman, the county’s grant program manager, said the total project budget is about $624,991. The expected federal award is $468,743 and the combined local match is $156,248; the county’s cash portion for its portion of the match is $40,000, with the remainder coming from the school system’s capital reserves.
County and school uses: The county intends to use its share to install lighting at Ridge Park (one baseball field currently unlit), arguing stronger lighting reduces safety risks at that facility. The school system plans to prioritize high schools first for portable metal detectors at athletic entries, camera upgrades (including on buses), and staff badge-monitoring systems.
Commissioners asked whether the work could be spread more quickly across all schools; Stockman and the county manager said the grant is competitive and limited, so the plan is to prioritize schools by risk and pursue additional grants (including a simultaneous COPS-related application that could fund additional school resource officers).
Budget note: Stockman and the manager said the county’s $40,000 share is available in the capital reserve and that school contributions will come from school system reserves. The board left the grant on the decision agenda pending formal award and expected further cost details from the schools.
Next steps: If awarded, the county would accept the grant and allocate the match from its capital reserves; the grant is three years in duration and the county invited staff and community to continue identifying grant opportunities to supplement these improvements.
