North Carolina sheriff plans to have guards in all schools

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina sheriff says he will have armed guards in every school in the county in the fall.

The Times-News of Hendersonville reported that Henderson County Sheriff Charles McDonald says putting an armed guard in every school is part of his plan to improve safety.

Officials said there have been 16 threats made against Henderson County schools this year. Most of the threats came after the Valentine’s Day shooting in Florida that killed 17 people.

McDonald said the guards will not be sworn law enforcement officers. The sheriff says he’s looking for people with law enforcement or military background for the jobs.

To deal with the immediate situation, some deputies are working overtime at schools that do not already have school resource officers.

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Information from: Times-News, http://www.blueridgenow.com