OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission has wrapped up two days of meeting in Osceola County.
- Commission members want to make sure students get help they need
- Will recommend to lawmakers that districts share real time video security system feeds
- Commission hopes to have report finalized by November 1
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It has a number of new recommendations for state lawmakers that they hope will improve school safety in the wake of the Parkland massacre.
A main focus of the meeting was the sharing of information, both human and technological.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who chairs the commission, expressed concern about what he saw as a lack of a coordinated response of mental health issues between schools, law enforcement and health care agencies.
Accused Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz was known to have both behavior and mental health issues. Gualtieri and other commission members want to make sure young people with mental health issues get the help they need. In some cases that may be mandated intervention.
"That would allow some type of progressive system where ultimately a judge could force somebody into treatment," he said. "Because that is a problem. Kids refuse. Their parents refuse and then they just become these high recidivists on this revolving door to nowhere."
The commission will also recommend to state lawmakers that school districts be required to share real time video security system feeds from schools in an emergency.
"Only when there's a significant emergency and we need to monitor a feed to make sure we get the right resources there to protect the children," said commission member and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
The commission hopes to finalize its report by November 1.