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Board approves SRO gun-safe use at middle and high schools
Summary
Trustees approved a request from the Beatrice Police Department and the district SROs to permit bolted gun safes at both Beatrice Middle School and Beatrice High School so SROs can house long guns securely on campus; funding application to Gage County Foundation was mentioned.
The Beatrice Board of Education voted March 9 to allow School Resource Officers to use bolted gun safes at Beatrice Middle School and Beatrice High School for storage of long guns.
Doris moved to approve the request; after discussion about safety, response time and the need for bolting the safes to meet quality/installation standards, the board voted to approve the motion. Jason noted the district already has a safe at the high school that is not currently used to house weapons, and he said he has submitted a grant application to the Gage County Foundation to pay for the safe the district would order.
Speaking in favor, a board member said that first responders should not be "outgunned" and that safes should be installed "right" and be accessible where needed. Dr. Nielsen added technical requirements for installation and use.
Why it matters: the change authorizes secure on-campus storage for SRO use to reduce response time in extraordinary circumstances, and raises local questions about policy, storage standards and funding.
What’s next: staff will pursue grant funding (Gage County Foundation) and ensure safes meet bolting and security requirements before they are placed into use.
