LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Clark County School District could soon get some financial help from federal officials for school safety and health initiatives. On Thursday, the board said they had approved a grant application for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act grant "to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments."
According to the proposal, the district is requesting up to $7 million. On the security side of things, the money would be used to augment the Clark County School District Police Department's newly formed Middle School Division. The proposal states the division would also include developing curriculum on the dangers of using drugs and positive interactions with police.
Money would also be aside for the division to buy body cameras and hire a civilian crime analyst to research and track criminal activity in and around schools. The proposal states the analyst would be able to identify crime hot spots so district police can be assigned to at-risk areas.
Due to bomb threats against schools, the district is also looking at hiring an explosive detection K9 and handler. The six K9s currently working for the department are exclusively for detecting firearms. District police said the explosive detection K9 would allow them to do campus sweeps faster and more efficiently. A Mobile Command Unit would also be purchased to give first responders an emergency site to meet at and coordinate plans and amplifiers would be installed on CCSD buildings to enhance radio communications. Funding would also be set aside for portable digital message boards and trailers, which the district said "are essential for public communication at reunification sites during an emergency."
When looking at health initiatives, the district is asking for funds to repurpose the COVID-19 Mobile Clinic into a general Mobile Health Clinic, creating a crisis intervention team that can respond to campus incidents where individuals are "in crisis or are experience adverse mental health episodes", and a Health Resource & Referral Call Center. The district said callers would be able to speak with a contracted licensed nurse that could put them in touch with resources like counseling, sports physicals, and vaccinations.
According to the proposal, the anticipated project period would run from June 23 to Sept. 30.
President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Commuities Act into law on June 25, 2022. The legislation sets aside $1 billion to be distributed to schools across the country.
