Story by Lindsey Coleman, News Editor

“We cannot wait any longer to secure our high school.”

Those are the words of Marshall County Judge Executive Kevin Neal.

Neal sent a press release earlier this week to the local media outlining his proposed plan for beefing up security at Marshall County High School.

“I am not going to wait for another tragedy to make known what I feel needs to be done,” Neal said.

The judge executive said his security plan for Marshall County High School is threefold: hiring six resource officers for the high school, installing metal detectors and building a new Marshall County Sheriff’s Department on the high school grounds.

Neal said under his plan, the six resource officers would be dedicated to the high school and would not be called away to answer other calls in the county like deputies could. In addition, four of the officers would remain at the high school, while two would also spend time at the two middle schools and the elementary schools.

The second part of Neal’s proposal includes adding two metal detectors with two entry points into the high school.

The final part of the plan would relocate the Sheriff’s Department to the high school in an attempt to deter “a potential shooter or anyone looking to harm students.”

“This location not only offers rapid response to Marshall County High School but also increases response time to Christian Fellowship, Central Elementary and North Marshall Middle,” Neal said in the release. “Officers can walk the campus during allotted times, increasing the security presence in and outside of school facilities.”

To alleviate any concerns about criminals being on campus, Neal said they could be processed at the Judicial Building. School Superintendent Trent Lovett and Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Byers sat down with Neal to go over his proposed plans. They “responded positively to this proposal when I sat down with each of them,” Neal said.

To fund the security measures, Neal said he thinks the school district should reevaluate whether or not expansion projects are necessary.

“I understand renovation projects to schools can be important,” Neal said. “However, they’re not more important than the lives of our students.”

$13.3 million dollars is slated to renovate the high school and Sharpe Elementary. Neal said that money would pay for salary and benefits (at $55,000) for six resource officers for 33 years.

“Just decide today to get our students, teachers and staff protected,” he said. “This tragedy can happen again. We must not try to convince ourselves otherwise. Fortunately, we can dramatically decrease the chances. The time is now.”