It’s the end of summer break for kids in Palm Beach County. Students go back to school on Monday and there will be officers at every school.
Delray Beach Police officers are getting ready to help out in the districts elementary schools. Officers will be stationed at the five schools in the city.
The department will have over 50 officers rotate through the schools, five days a week.
Officer Gerry Riccio will be one of them.
“Getting to know the school, the ins, and outs of all the nooks and crannies of all the rooms, inside and outside,” said Riccio.
He said officers were going through a refresher course in their active shooter training before they start on Monday. The training goes over tactics, first-aid, and response if a situation were to happen.
Riccio said working in elementary schools puts them in a different mindset, especially since many of them have children.
“For you to be there and putting their minds at ease that they are going to be OK and they will go home to mommy and daddy, I am sure they're ecstatic,” said Riccio.
Riccio said their presence will also help with safety.
“Just being present, and showing your presence a lot of times is a big deterrent itself, having a police car parked out front five days a week,” he said.