VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -- A push to keep schools safe tonight, Volusia County armed school guardian training has now kicked off.
- First class held Monday
- Trainees must hit 85 percent of shots to be official
- Guardian job has 49 openings
The trainees will get more than 100 hours of training, and they'll be taking it outside the classroom at a training facility and bringing their guns out to the range.
They must hit at least 85 percent of their shots before they can become an armed school guardian.
"This is the one I've been issued," said Frank Hayward.
Monday was the first day in the classroom for Volusia County School Guardian trainees, and Frank Hayward, like the rest of the men, learned how to assemble their guns and what it takes to make schools safer.
"I want this job. I know that I'm ready to stand up for kids and for teachers for schools," Hayward said.
Hayward is an old corrections officer with 11 years of experience.
The room was filled with former law enforcement officers and members of the military who have kids and grandkids in local schools.
"We're learning now is all the things that we need to know to be prepared, because I don't want to see what's happened in the past happen again," Hayward said.
The prospects have done the extensive background checks, psychological tests, and now classroom work and time on the shooting range.
There are 49 openings men and women are vying for. Once they complete all of their training, this group will work with elementary schools, and five will be subs for any absentees.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said out of the 180 or so applicants, this is the cream of the crop.
"These are folks that had that passion. They served in the military, they've served in law enforcement. You see that connection -- that's just something that's in their DNA; there is this thing to protect," said Sheriff Chitwood.
One father said he gave up his corrections officer job to do this.
"Its huge; you want to protect your children. Unfortunately these incidents seem to be the new norm so hopefully with this program in place we'll be able to protect our kids even better," said Damon Sansom, school guardian trainee.
Once training is complete, they'll all be school board employees.
"(They're) training us well, and I think we'll be something that Volusia County can be proud of," Hayward said.
The instructors said the group is required to meet higher than normal standards in this course.
The next round of trainees start next week.
The job pays $30,000 and comes with benefits.
The training includes more than 130 hours of Sheriff's Office training and 12 hours of the school district's diversity training.