Governor Dannel Malloy announced today that 169 Connecticut schools will share $5 million in grants to upgrade school security infrastructure. The governor promised more grant money is on the way.
The competitive grants were part of the Gun Violence Prevention and Safety Act. The $5 million of state bond money will go to school districts that plan to upgrade or already upgraded their security infrastructure in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Malloy stressed that the money will go to infrastructure projects only; they will not be used to for school districts to hire armed security guards. "It will allow them to modernize security infrastructure by doing things like installing surveillance cameras and bulletproof glass," said Governor Malloy.
Malloy says the $5 million is just the beginning. He has directed OPM Secretary Benjamin Barnes to find another $6 million in bond money to fund another round of applicants. Next year, he plans to ask the state legislature for another $10 million, with the goal of funding every town that applied for a grant.