WFISD making security measures for upcoming school year

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Wichita Falls Independent School District is hoping it can beef up its protection with more options to better protect students and staff.

At the school board meeting Tuesday, July 11 they went over a new policy that would all officers to have more force.

“Safety is our main priority,” WFISD Superintendent, Dr. Donny Lee said.

“ Right now our officers only have deadly force, and we personally don’t think that is the best option for the general public, for people coming up to the schools and, for random people trying to get into the schools like we had at Scotland park. All the officers have is deadly force and we want to have another option less than deadly force” Superintendent Lee said.

The proposed plan would also allow more deadly force, but only in the situation of a school shooting.

“Rifles would only be used in the case of a school shooting,” WFISD Superintendent Dr. Donny Lee said.

“That’s the whole intent of this new policy. Right now our officers only have again the pistols and all of the school shootings that have happened are with assault rifles. So, if we want our schools to be safe we need our officers equipped with the same type of weapons that an active shooter would use” Superintendent Lee said.

The WFISD school board trustees have to review a new policy twice when trying to enact it. They look to go over the policy for a second time at the next school board meeting.

Board members will then be able to critique and decide more on this new policy. If passed, it will go into effect immediately starting this upcoming school year.

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