LOGAN COUNTY, Ohio — Benjamin Logan Local Schools is one step closer to arming school staff members that complete required training.
Superintendent John Scheu said the state approved the required curriculum. They're waiting for training to be completed so the school board can officially sign off on the armed response team. Scheu said the training is designed by the Logan County Sheriff’s Department.
They’re now in the process of working out a schedule for the training to be completed.
Last June, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 99, which allows school employees who complete 24 hours of specific training to carry a handgun on school grounds.
Scheu said there are roughly 22 volunteers that were approved for the training.
He said in all his years of teaching, he never thought he would have to consider something like this, but it's a way to keep students safe. Scheu said the district is nearly 15 minutes away from Bellefontaine. If there is a situation of an active shooter, Scheu said every second counts.
“That's why we like having the layered approach with having SROs and a trained armed response team,” said Scheu.
The training includes scenario-based training, mediation, de-escalation, and handling critical incidents, among other measures.
10TV spoke with Logan County Chief Deputy Joe Kopus who said they’ve been working and training with the volunteers. Once they complete the required 24 hours, volunteers will have hundreds of hours of training that they've done on their own time.
For Stephanie Snyder who has a daughter in the sixth grade, it’s a safety measure she believes in.
"Our most prized possessions are our children,” she said. "Anything that they can do to keep our kids safe I am fully in support of.”
Scheu said they’re working on setting training for the volunteers and finishing all other requirements this spring or summer. That way the response team will be ready by the start of the 2023-2024 school year.