If you read the article it talks about having an alternative to having an active duty police officer be your security detail at the school.
I can see the issue from both sides of the equation - I was an accounting director for a school district before I became a teacher.
From the accountant side, I can tell you that a police officer will cost you the officers salary plus uniform allowances, pension contribution, car allowance - or in other word upward of $75 to 80k per year. A security guard, who is an employee of the disrict would only cost $40 to 45K fully loaded rate per year. The security officers have the ability to arrest and detail students and intruders, as well as carry guns. It is more financially responsible.
From the teacher side (in an inner city high school) I saw situations where security and police presence were paid more than teachers - how pathetic was that. I was nice to have security there at all times, but felt too much like a prison.
Thank God for the Cathoic high school who hired me out of the mess. We have no security or police presence AND we don’t need one. Now that is teaching is supposed to be like.
But, an armed security person, an employee of G4, formerly Wackenhut, would be much cheaper and cost no benefits.
No, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg. I know of several schools in our area who gave the Sheriff a room near the front door of the school. The Sheriff stations his day shift on-duty deputy in that school “office”. The deputy has to be at his desk anyway, so he is there doing his work and keeping an armed presence for the school. No added expense, except maybe an extra phone line.