Montgomery, Ala. -- Gov. Kay Ivey announced in a press conference Wednesday, May 30, that she will be beginning the Alabama Sentry Program, which will provide additional security precautions to schools that lack a School Resource Officer (SRO).
The Alabama Sentry Program allows volunteer administrators in schools without School Resource Officers to keep a firearm on campus in a secure location in case of an active shooter situation. The program requires that the administrators complete a training and certification created by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
“The Governor’s SAFE (Securing Alabama’s Facilities of Education) Council recommended adding more School Resource Officers throughout our state, a solution that I support, and will work with the legislature to implement,” said Ivey. “However, until we have a concrete plan to increase the number of SROs, we must provide a way for schools to protect their students in the upcoming school year. I have created the Alabama Sentry Program to provide additional security measures for our children, and to utilize the current summer break to train those who volunteer to be a sentry.”
Hal Taylor, Alabama Secretary of Law Enforcement, and Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama Superintendent of Education, joined alongside Ivey for the announcement.
“School security is one of the highest priorities for law enforcement and this program will help first responders identify and stop threats quicker and before they happen,” said Taylor.
School administrators must seek the approval of their local superintendent, school board and country sheriff to participate in the program.
Administrators are also required to have a valid Alabama school administrator certification, a valid concealed-carry pistol permit, pass a drug screening, mental health assessment, must be in a school without a School Resource Officer and pass a stress test.
School sentries are required to keep their firearms in a secure weapon storage system with the sentries, or the respective boards of education, being responsible for acquiring those systems.
The duties of the school sentry includes, “The use of lethal force to defend the students, faculty, staff, and visitors of his or her school from the threat of imminent bodily harm or death by an armed intruder.”
The announcement is part of a process of implementing recommendations of Ivey’s SAFE Council. Six of the council’s 10 recommendations have passed implementation with more of them proceeding implementation in the future.
The press conference ended with Ivey signing a memorandum establishing the Alabama Sentry Program and directing the State Department of Education and the ALEA to implement the program.
The Alabama Sheriff’s Association endorsed and supports the Alabama Sentry program.
