Solon City, School Officials Meet Again To Discuss School Security

Officials from the city of Solon and the Solon school board met Thursday to again discuss school safety issues and the way they can work together to make the city and the school buildings safer.

Solon officials have been discussing security issues in detail since December's tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Thursday's meeting included Solon Mayor Susan A. Drucker, Police Chief Christopher Viland, and City Council Safety and Public Properties Committee Chair Bill Russo, and members of the Solon school board and administration.

The community at large will get a chance to discuss school security issues next week, when a school security expert Ken Trump meets holds a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Solon High School's auditorium.

Mayor Drucker said that she plans to keep apprised of federal- and state-level discussions regarding funding for security personnel and and school security mandates.

"The safety of all of our children, in the public schools, in our several private schools and day cares, as well as that of all of our residents, businesses and commuters is the number one priority of the City’s safety forces," Drucker said in a city news release.

Viland said he looks forward to working with Trump, who will be providing a building security analysis for Solon Schools, as they put together a plan. Solon Schools also plans to hire a safety director as well.

"We currently have an excellent working relationship with all of our schools and administrators," Viland said in a news release. "We are very appreciative of the ability to actually run tactical exercises in the school buildings each year.  And, we have learned a lot working together through command level tabletop exercises recently.”  

Meetings are expected to continue, with active discussions regarding school policies, building infrastructure and security being the primary components of those work sessions.