With the academic year just beginning, Connecticut public schools have put in place a number of new safety measures.
Most teachers at East Haven schools participated in emergency evacuation drills to help students flee an active shooter situation, as well as first aid training to help them provide care until first responders arrive.
Trainings were scheduled around the same time a teenager was shot near an East Haven school last month.
Towns, including North Haven, stationed school resource officers on school property for additional security and to interact with students. North Haven also plans to improve security technology, like communication and camera systems at aging school buildings.
Meanwhile, Nassau County is increasing its police presence on public school campuses this week.
Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder says the county is prepared to take on active shooters after police quickly responded to a shooting last week near Roosevelt High School and Roosevelt Middle School.
“Law enforcement responded within seconds. We had the individual’s house surrounded. We got him under arrest, took everybody out of the house safely and recovered that weapon.”
Ryder also announced that Nassau police will be equipped with a new weapon designed to break down doors and a device that will exert pressure on gunshot wounds to help stop blood flow.
Suffolk County is expected to get similar devices as they prepare to increase safety for the new school year.
