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BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey on Monday announced that 27 security specialists graduated from a 176-hour training program, to prepare them to deal with a school shooter.
The specialists, which will cost $1.2 million a year, are a compromise after the sheriff's idea of arming of school teachers and staff met public resistance and was voted down the the Brevard County School Board. The sheriff says the specialists who finished the training have prior military and police background.
"They had to meet even a higher standard than a law enforcement officer with proficiency on the range" said Sheriff Ivey. "It's good feeling knowing we have that caliber of person in our schools"
There was 176 hours of training, which included 80 hours of Florida Department of Law Enforcement firearms training, 24 hours of tactical and active shooter training, and 16 hours of defensive tactics -- including keeping their weapon secure.
The security specialists are funded by the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Act. The Sheriff's Office received more than $863,000 to reimburse costs for a gun, bulletproof vest, background screening, and other costs related to the security specialists.