Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office said 169 schools in the state will share $5 million for school security infrastructure improvements made in the wake of the December school shooting in Newtown.
Schools will install or be reimbursed for installing surveillance cameras, bullet proof glass, electric locks, buzzer and card entry systems and panic alarms.
The money represents the first round of a competitive grant program that is part of the Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety Act. The funds match $3.9 million in local security expenditures.
“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,” Malloy said in a statement.
The awards were based on a school security assessment survey conducted by each local school district that applied. Each community involved will be reimbursed between 20 and 80 percent, depending on town wealth.
School districts receiving awards are: Avon, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Danbury, Derby, East Hartford, Enfield, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Killingly, Ledyard, Mansfield, Meriden, Middletown, Montville, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Hartford, North Haven, Norwalk, Plymouth, Portland, Regional School District No. 6 (Warren, Morris and Goshen), Regional School District No. 14 (Woodbury and Bethlehem), Rocky Hill, Shelton, Southington, Stamford, Sterling, Stratford, Vernon, West Haven, Westport, Wethersfield, and Winchester.
