Newtown votes for additional police presence at elementary schools

Days after the NRA called for armed guards in schools and President Barack Obama issued an executive action providing law enforcement, first responders and school officials with training for active shooter situations, the Newtown Board of Education voted to approve a request to the police department for armed school resources officers in each of the town's elementary schools.

The vote, when coupled with the eight unarmed security personnel in the proposed 2013/2014 budget, would put one armed and one unarmed person at each Newtown school, the Bronxville-EastchesterPatch reported.

Donna Lorenz, one of several parents who spoke to the board during the meeting, said she felt comfortable letting her daughter go to a school guarded by two armed officers, and wouldn't feel comfortable with anything less. She said policemen travel with a partner for a reason.

"The only thing that stopped that guy that day was when the two Newtown police burst into the building," Lorenz said. "You all know that."

The paper also reported that SROs are already a permanent presence at Reed Intermediate School, Newtown Middle School and Newtown High School, but the vote helped push toward a guarantee that they would remain at Newtown's elementary schools.

Read more about Newtown school security on the Bronxville-EastchesterPatch.