WACO, Texas — A lot of Central Texans are concerned about safety and security in our neighborhoods.
According to events reported by the Gun Violence Archive, just this year, there have been more than 18 school shootings in the United States thus far.
25 News got the chance to walk through one Waco ISD school to see how students in our community are being protected.
"This is a camera on the outside so when someone walks up, and it's after hours they can ring this and there is a camera set to the receptionist, and she's able to see who it is and talk to you — so you have to have your ID out so she can see that,” said Waco ISD Executive Director of Student Services, Suzanne Hamilton.
"All the doors are locked… both sides."
The same goes for classrooms inside.
Walking through the building you'll find more than students and staff.
"We do have our own police department within our district — and there is a police officer stationed at every single campus that we have — we do have security guards that are at the high school level,” Hamilton said.
Waco ISD has received more than $2 million in grants from the Texas Education Agency for safety and security enhancements throughout the district.
"Some of it is upgrading on the fencing around the perimeter of some of our campuses. Again, elementary campuses… I think it's just younger kids and smaller kids. They had shorter fences so it has been putting those around,” Hamilton said.
The district will soon be receiving more funds from the TEA to continue improving their security.
"It's a people thing… we have to still be aware of things. We have to pay attention, you have to talk to the students and students will talk to you. These are just things to help us on top of us already being aware and vigilant about what's going on in our campuses,” Hamilton said.
