FRANKLIN—Although some of the security equipment has been installed in the city schools, there is still much work to be done as students and staff members might see when they return to classes.

It was announced in September that Franklin City Public Schools was awarded a $79,536 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Servicing (COPS) through its Secure Our Schools program. A grant matched from the school in the form of Qualified Zone Academy Bonds brought the total funds to approximately $160,000 for some new cameras, digital recorders,

and hand-held and freestanding metal detectors.

The detectors, which will also be used during extracurricular activities, are already in the schools. There is one free standing metal detector each at the elementary and middle school and two at the high school.

According to Jonathan Lackey, network administrator for the city and school system, all of the cameras and recorders have arrived.

&uot;The recorders have been installed at the middle school,&uot; he said. &uot;We’ll probably work at the high school next. I’d say over the next two weeks we should have all the recorders installed at the three schools.&uot;

Lackey said that the following phase involves the installation of the cameras.

The overall project also entails the rewiring of some of the infrastructure, which will provide &uot;more security and usability.&uot; Laptop computers are also being purchased for the Franklin Police Department vehicles.

With wireless technology established around the perimeters of the school, police officers can use the laptops from adjacent parking areas to access the cameras within the schools, monitoring activity from a safe distance, yet being in close proximity if they are needed.

&uot;The laptops have also come in,&uot; said Lackey.