House amends bill to beef up school security options

School districts could have more options for security.

HB153, originally intended to prohibit school districts from having their own police forces, was amended by the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee to simply allow school districts to also have the options of contracting with private security firms or local police departments. The bill was then approved by the committee on a 9-1 vote.

Currently only Granite School District has its own police department. Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, who made the motion to amend the bill, said he is comfortable with school districts having their own police officers because they have to have the same qualifications and training cities require of their police officers.