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Panel Recommends More Money, Training For School Police Officers

North Carolina lawmakers are examining ways to improve school safety across the state. KERI BROWN/WFDD

North Carolina legislators are recommending a new set of proposed school safety measures.

In the wake of February's Florida school shootings, a statehouse committee has voted to advance several pieces of proposed legislation.

Lawmakers are seeking more money and mandated training for police officers assigned to campuses, as well as more building vulnerability reviews.

The panel also recommended more study on allowing non-public schools to have armed security,  and for trained volunteers to assist law enforcement.

Another subcommittee examining mental health and student support needs agreed last week that more school counselors, nurses, social workers and psychologists need to be hired.

A full House school safety committee will approve its final recommendations next week, days before the General Assembly convenes its annual work session.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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