Community Corner

Malloy: State Grants Totaling $5M Will Improve School Security

A total of 169 schools in 36 districts will receive funds to reimburse some costs for installation of surveillance cameras, bullet proof glass, electric locks, buzzer and card entry systems, and panic alarms.

By Patch Regional Editor Michael Dinan.

Gov. Dannel Malloy announced on Wednesday that 169 schools in 36 districts will receive state funding totaling $5 million to help reimburse towns for costs of improving school security after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown last December.


Southington, one of the communities, will receive a little more than $3,000 of the funding. (For more, click the link provided.)

The funds are the first round of the Competitive Grant Program for school security, part of the Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety Act.

“After the horrific events on December 14th, Connecticut cities and towns moved swiftly to improve security infrastructures at schools in need,” Governor Malloy said in the release. “This funding allows districts with the most need to implement modern security measures that will make schools safer.”

“We all wish that this program was not needed, but unfortunately we must adapt to the new reality that Sandy Hook tragically brought to our state,” Lt. Governor Wyman said. “This funding will give us the peace of mind that we are doing everything we can to live up to our obligation to provide a safe learning environment for our children.”

The awards were based on a school security assessment survey conducted by each local school district that applied for funds. Each municipality will be reimbursed between 20 and 80 percent according to town wealth, as defined in subdivision (26) of section 10-262f of the Connecticut General Statutes, according to the news release. Funds from municipalities, which total $3,921,435, will be matched with nearly $5 million in state funding for an overall $8,911,853 investment in school security among 169 schools.

A total of 111 applications were received for proposed infrastructure projects in 604 school buildings, consisting of the installation of surveillance cameras, bullet proof glass, electric locks, buzzer and card entry systems, and panic alarms. A future round of funding will be announced soon.

School districts receiving awards are: Avon, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Danbury, Derby, East Hartford, Enfield, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Killingly, Ledyard, Mansfield, Meriden, Middletown, Montville, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Hartford, North Haven, Norwalk, Plymouth, Portland, Regional School District No. 6 (Warren, Morris and Goshen), Regional School District No. 14 (Woodbury and Bethlehem), Rocky Hill, Shelton, Southington, Stamford, Sterling, Stratford, Vernon, West Haven, Westport, Wethersfield, and Winchester.

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