Montgomery County looks to get Copsync911 program

CHRISTIANSBURG (WSLS 10) - The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is looking to become just the fifth jurisdiction in the Commonwealth to use a new technology designed to keep students safer.

This potential purchase comes as some of the county's schools do not have a permanent school resource officer.

Montgomery County sheriff Hank Partin asked the board of supervisors for $36,000 to buy a new system called Copsync911.

This system would alert police officers to dangerous situations on a school campus more quickly, without anyone having to call 911. It would also allow a school to go into lockdown in seconds.

Sheriff Partin ran his campaign on the promise to make school safety a top priority. He promised to get a permanent school resource officer into the four county schools that currently do not have one.

Partin said there is not enough money to do that right now, but that the Copsync program should not be viewed as a replacement.

"I still am very hopeful to have a school resource officer in every one of our schools at some point. This is definitely not a replacement," said Partin. "This is new technology that allows us to respond to a school sometimes in seconds."

Partin said he hopes the board of supervisors will approve money for the additional SROs next year.

Both Bedford and Franklin counties are now using Copsync as well.