Clay County Sheriff's Office prepared to take over school security

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Safety is always top of mind when school begins, and with Clay County students heading back to the classroom, the Sheriff’s Office says it’s prepared to take over security responsibilities.

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Ahead of the first day of classes, families are getting ready.

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“Some groceries and back to school clothes for my granddaughter, we happened to go in and find some good stuff,” Grandmother Collette Kilpatrick said.

Collette Kilpatrick’s granddaughter goes to Thunderbolt elementary and for her, safety is the number one focus.

“Kids getting off the school bus, people not speeding through the school zones, I love the gate systems at the school you have to go in and check in, you can’t just walk in for kids safety,” she said.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is taking over security responsibilities at all the schools this year, after the school board voted to disband the district’s police force.

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Director Patrick Golemme said they’re committed to safety.

“We want to make sure we have the right people in place, people who are highly trained, highly motivated,” he said. “Understand the mission of protecting our children, our schools.”

Director Golemme said every school will have a uniformed deputy who’s gone through rigorous training.

“When we talk about training, we talk about defensive tactics, de-escalation training, the active shooter or assailant training, interview interrogation, driving, defensive driving, we are all out there working everyday to get ready,” he said. “They are certified fully ready to go, parents should have no fear.”

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It’s comforting news, for grandparents like Kilpatrick

“There’s an officer at the school she was there this morning, always at the school,” she said.

As the beginning of the school year tends to be stressful, Director Golemme asked parents to be patient and make sure to check your kid’s backpack. He added how sometimes there could be items put in there from the summer that they’re not allowed to have in the school.

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