A new School Safety Task Force was introduced in Onondaga County at Tuesday night’s State of the County address.
Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick says all safety and security measures will be considered.
Along with Fitzpatrick, the task force will be co-chaired by Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney, Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.
The group will meet for the first time on Thursday.
Fitzpatrick says the group will recall what happened in the high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month, as well as other mass shooting incidents to see what “signs were missed.”
The goal is to make recommendations to school administrations by August so that new safety measures can be implemented for the 2018-2019 school year.
After recommendations are decided upon, Fitzpatrick says it will be up to each district’s school board to decide what works best for them.
Fitzpatrick says the task force will work together and start with a clean slate considering all security options.
“We have to reassess that. We have to reassess assemblies,” Fitzpatrick said. “We have to reassess other things that bring students together in large amounts, sporting events. Do we bring metal detectors to schools? I don’t know the answer. I have an open mind about this.”
