TAMPA, Fla. — School guards in Pasco and Polk counties are now ready to receive their certifications.

  • Pasco, Polk school guards receive certifications Monday
  • Pasco guards to be present at elementary schools, SRO's in secondary schools
  • Polk guards will be armed, uniformed district employees

In Pasco County, their new school guards became official Monday, as the county's inaugural class of school safety guards graduated from Argus Academy training.

That training began in early June, which included classroom lessons on safety procedures, deadly force, first aid, diversity, and defensive tactics.  

That was followed by two weeks of shooting range instruction and aggressive response to an active threat.

The guards also completed psychological, physical, and drug testing.

Prepared for the task

All of the new school safety guards had at least 10 years of experience in law enforcement or the military going into the program.

That background and training makes these safety guards ready to protect elementary school children from a shooter.

"I'm honored, absolutely honored to be a part of this," said new Pasco safety guard Danielle Peterson. "It is a great program. I believe the Pasco County School District did an amazing job with all of our training, along with the Pasco Sheriff's Department."

Pasco County's Director of Safety and Security Chris Stowe said they graduated 55 guards in this class.

"That'll be 49 in the schools, and then I'll have extra floats," Stowe explained. "They'll be used if we have a guard calls out sick, or something happens, we have back fill. So, we have the schools covered pursuant to the law."  

School safety guards will be assigned to Pasco elementary schools while School Resource Officers will continue to staff middle and high schools.

 

Polk County school guardians sworn in

 

In Polk County, their school safety guardians were also sworn in Monday.

These guardians will fulfill a state mandate that an armed law enforcement officer or guardian be placed in each school.

School safety guardians will be armed, uniformed district employees.