Cobb County working with intelligence community to boost schools safety

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Cobb County School leaders are taking a new approach to school safety.

During Thursday night's school board meeting, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale went over the district's new, more proactive approach to keeping students and staff safe. 

The superintendent said the school district is setting a new precedent with these steps, and a major factor is partnering with the intelligence community. 

"What I want parents to hear is that we take student and staff safety as our top priority," Ragsdale said.

Last month, parents asked the school board for additional clarity on the district's safety plan. This time, the superintendent explained how the district is pivoting to a more prevention-based plan, largely through new partnerships with the intelligence community.
 
"We want to be ahead of any event that could take place in our schools. And it's not just active shooters. These are the ones that garner the most attention and the most headlines, and rightfully so, but there are many other events that can take place due to children being at risk, being in situations that are beyond their control," he said.

Police officers at North Cobb High School (FOX 5)

The school board heard from a private intelligence company that assessed three Cobb County schools. They outlined what could be done to identify and mitigate threats such as gang recruitment, cyber exploitation, and community violence. They also explained how important training the community is in identifying potential threats and risks. 

The superintendent said these efforts will make the district a leader in proactive school safety. 
 
"This is going to be a new era of student and staff safety in terms of what the Cobb County School District is going to do moving forward," Ragsdale said.

The superintendent said the district already spends around $35 million yearly on school safety. These new efforts are meant to bolster what's already in place.