Crisco: State grants to support security upgrades

Derby schools to benefit

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, today announced state grants to help underwrite school security upgrades across his 17th District. 

Altogether, nine schools in three area towns – Hamden, Derby, and Naugatuck – have qualified for state support to help underwrite school security upgrades.

Funding is available through a competitive grant program, part of the bipartisan gun violence prevention law enacted after last year’s tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. 

State grants were awarded after school security assessment surveys were conducted by local districts; each will supplement local funding to be provided by the district.

“The legislature set up this program to address the school safety issues that became everyone’s concern last year; this grant program matches schools that have identified needs with the resources we made available to help,” Crisco said. 

“The security infrastructure upgrades we envision are meant to prevent or avoid a crisis wherever possible, and this initiative fortifies our efforts to deter violence in that regard.”

Crisco said school security improvements will include some combination of security cameras and videotaping capabilities, new safety glass, remote-controlled locks, new key

card entry systems, and panic alarms.

“We will never be able to prevent every random act, but we can take the steps necessary to make sure that our children and our teachers are as safe as possible. This funding allows districts with the most need to implement modern security measures that will make schools safer,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said about the new state grants.

Crisco said Derby will add to a $267,873 grant with $107,139 in local funds to upgrade three schools, Hamden will supplement a $152,505 state grant with $107,873 in local funds for improvements at three schools there, and Naugatuck is in line for a $463,314 state grant, to be augmented with $151,486 in local funds for security improvements at three of its schools.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.