Town works to improve school safety

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Officials in one local town are working together to improve safety in all of its schools.

The goal of the school security overhaul in North Providence is to further protect the town’s students and to decrease the chances a mass shooting like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School could happen.

A top-to-bottom overhaul at all seven of North Providence’s schools is in the works.

“This is a top priority for us,” said North Providence police Chief Paul Martellini.

Chief Martellini says the town will dedicate about $1.2 million of a $60 million settlement the department won as part of a national settlement with the web search giant Google.

Mayor Charles Lombardi admits the idea of the overhaul came just after the Sandy Hook shootings.

“We immediately met the next day, myself and the Police Chief and the Deputy Chief and decided that we needed to get into the school building immediately,” said Mayor Lombardi.

He and Chief Martinelli decided to add more locks to windows and doors, and two-way radios with direct communication with dispatch at the police department.

“We are trying to be proactive instead of reactive,” said Mayor Lombardi.

The security changes are not just to the buildings. This past Monday, police held active shooter training with faculty from all of the public schools.