Moore County School System Lands Federal Grant to Improve Security

Moore County Schools has been awarded a $472,283 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to improve safety for teachers and students.

Kendt Eklund, director of technology for the school system, said most of the money will be used to “upgrade and standardize” video security systems across the district’s 24 campuses. The funding, he said, will “ensure that all campuses have video security coverage.”

Part of the grant, Eklund said, will “support the implementation” of Active Defender, a mobile app that allows educators to share information related to campus violence and other emergencies. Developed by Boyte Group of Carthage, the app has been installed at nearly 100 campuses in six states since it launched in November.

“(The app will) provide our teachers and staff the ability to quickly communicate within the school and notify law enforcement or emergency responders, as appropriate in a crisis situation,” Eklund said.

U.S. congressman Richard Hudson, a Republican representing Moore County, advocated for the grant and “led efforts to provide the funding under the bipartisan Student, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018,” according to a news release issued Wednesday by his office.

“The safety of our students remains my top priority, and this grant will go a long way to help ensure a safe environment,” Hudson said in a statement. “I’ll continue to work to tackle the root causes of gun violence, make our schools safer and improve mental health in our communities.”

Moore County Schools has invested heavily in student safety over the years. It is one of only two school systems in the state with a full-service police department.

In 2009, the Moore County Schools Police Department received the National Exemplary School Safety Award from the School Safety Advocacy Council. The agency is staffed by 15 certified law enforcement officers and led by Chief Arthur Frye.