DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas told parents that there would be two armed police officers at East High School for the remainder of the school year.
Thomas and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock talked to parents after two faculty members were shot after they found a gun while searching a student.
According to Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero, daily searches are part of a safety plan developed for this specific student. Marrero said plans are common across the district and the country.
Last year, a decision by the Denver Board of Education went into effect that removed school resource officers from the district’s buildings. Thomas said the department has been advocating to reverse that decision.
Wednesday afternoon, Marrero sent a letter to the school board informing them that he would be adding an armed officer at each of Denver’s comprehensive high schools. The board responded by saying it supports this decision.
In a statement posted to his Twitter, the mayor called for “common sense” gun legislation and more.
“It’s also time to return School Resource Officers in our schools. Removing them was a mistake and we must move swiftly to correct it,” Hancock’s statement said.
In addition to the officers at East High School, Thomas told parents that the department would work to assess the safety and security needs at each school and engage with the school board in that conversation.