Three Kansas school systems, including one in Salina, have received federal grants to help make students safer.

According to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, the money for Kansas is part of more than $85 million the Department of Justice has awarded nationally to bolster school security – including funding to educate and train faculty – and support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school shooting or other violent incident.

“Schools should be safe places to learn and grow,” McAllister said. “We’re listening to students, parents, teachers and law enforcement officers throughout Kansas who told us they need help.”

The Kansas grants include:

• $249,998 to Smoky Hill/Central Kansas Education Service Center in a category that includes funding for developing and operating anonymous reporting systems to encourage safe reporting of potential school threats.
• $452,913 to USD 417 Morris County Public Schools from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS’) School Violence Prevention Program
• $332,438 to Wichita Public Schools USD 259 from the COPS’ School Violence Prevention Program

The COPS School Violence Prevention Program provides funding to improve school safety through violence prevention including training law enforcement officers in how to prevent student violence, installing metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrents, as well as technology to get notification to law enforcement faster during emergencies.