Town officials in Epping held a school safety forum at the local high school last night. The meeting came just a day after a juvenile was arrested in relation to a threat made at the school.
The meeting drew a strong crowd of parents, teachers, and students. They heard from school administrators and local police, like Police Chief Michael Wallace, about the security precautions already in place.
“Every incident is different, but we like to feel that we have at least taken the steps necessary to ensure the safety of kids – that is first and foremost.”
The crowd also came to suggest some precautions of their own. Two ideas that drew applause: more school resource officers and more guidance counselors.
But Epping resident Robin Brisco said after the meeting it will be up to voters to make that happen.
“I’m concerned that a school resource officer won’t get funded. That the changes that they want to make in school training won’t get funded. And that ultimately will be the big test of how badly the parents really want to make these things happen.”
Epping police announced Wednesday they were charging a juvenile with one count of criminal threatening in relation to the threat made at the high school last week.
Epping is just one of a handful of school districts around the state that have been dealing with threats of violence in the days following the school shooting in Florida.
