PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Monday marked the first of training at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for a group of 35 security guards who are slated to be charter school guards.
“We want everyone to know the sheriff is completely committed to this program,” says Maj. John Prieschl of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Earlier this month the state’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission on Public Safety raised objections when they found out Palm Beach
County Schools had sent the guards to a private firm for training.
An inquiry by PBSO found the private training had not met all standards set by a new state law and then stepped in to train the guards.
"I believe they are the ones to teach us the right skills for the duties we are going to be facing, which is protecting children,” says Andres Orjuela, who started the training on Monday.
The new program with the Sheriff’s Office will be 184 hours, longer than the required 144 hours for school guardians.
The training should last about four-and-a-half weeks and have the guards in charter schools by October.