Putnam County sets up program to arm some school employees

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The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday that officials looking into arming certain school personnel in schools as "special deputies."

“I’m personally angered that we’re here having this conversation today," Sheriff Gator DeLoach said.

The program will be called "STAR," or "Sheriffs Trained Armed Response program." STAR participants will have extensive background checks and training.

“If you attack our schools, it will be the last thing you ever do," DeLoach said.

The announcement comes two weeks after the Parkland school shooting, the worst on-campus shooting in Florida history. The students at Majory Stoneman Douglas High returned to class on Wednesday. 

Sheriff DeLoach pledged last week that his deputies "will engage all active shooters" in the event of a similar event in Putnam County.

Cox Media Group