UPDATE, 5:30 p.m.:Peekskill police Lt. Eric Johansen said his department had its usual amount of resource officers at Peekskill schools today.
But Johansen believes the ramifications from today’s tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School will continue to reverberate through education and communities across the nation.
“Based on such a tragic and senseless incident that just devastated everyone that’s been affected, I would imagine that you will see a swift and rapid reaction to the way we protect our schools,” Johansen said.
Johansen said the incident showed the tendency of schools and police departments to become lax in the way they secure lower grade levels.
“We need to protect our most valued assets which are our children,” Johansen said. “That’s got to be a priority and Imagine that’s what going to come out of this horribly, tragic event.”
----------------
Brian Monahan, interim superintendent of Hendrick Hudson, said he made sure to limit the amount of televisions that were on in the elementary schools today.
He also instructed district bus drivers to try not to talk about tragedy that took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
“It’s a parents and teachers worse nightmare,” Monahan said. “We’ve contacted all of our schools and we’ll be ready on Monday to talk to the kids if they feel need to talk about it,” Monahan said. The younger kids might fear that the school isn’t safe. Our teachers and counselors will be there to try and help as much as they can.”
Monahan said the district reviews it security plan on a regular basis, but events like the one at the Sandy Hook school always make officials want to examine their procedures more closely.
Jim VanDevelde, a spokesman for Lakeland Central School District, agreed.
"We will use this opportunity to look at all of our procedures especially as we learn more about the Conn. situation," VanDevelde said.
Each of the buildings' doors are locked and each building has a video and buzzer system in order for people to enter the building.
"We also have video cameras throughout our building inside and outside," he said. "Of course, our secondary schools also have [school resource officers]."
Laura Belfiore, a spokeswoman from Peekskill city schools, said the district is still process the events in Connecticut.
"When any lives are lost, especially in such a violent way, it's always a sorrowful occasion, but when the lives lost are those of innocent children it then becomes the gravest of tragedies,” Belfiore said. “Our hearts go out to the families, students, school staff and community affected by today's horrific events. May they find as much peace as possible during this difficult time."
