HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Officers in Howard County have expanded their beats. Starting Monday, police officers began making the rounds to schools in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS).

The Howard County Police Department issued a directive for officers to incorporate school foot patrols into their assigned beats this week. The patrols include elementary, middle, high and private schools, according to a statement from the department. Each officer is encouraged to visit and walk inside at least one school, meaning schools will be visited regularly but not necessarily daily.

Already, school resource officers are assigned to HCPSS high schools. "We are currently looking into ways we could expand this program into every middle school," the Howard County Police Department said in a statement. "But while we continue that effort, we want to take action now."

The additional law enforcement presence comes the week after two students were fatally shot at Great Mills high School in St. Mary's County. The southern Maryland school is less than a two-hour drive from Howard County. HCPSS personnel have encouraged Howard County police officers to conduct their patrols around arrival and dismissal times and to have lunch in the cafeteria.



The March 20 shooting at Great Mills High School occurred at 7:57 a.m. before the start of classes.

The Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Florida, happened at dismissal time around 2:40 p.m.

A nonfatal shooting at Perry Hall High school in August 2012 occurred during lunch time in the cafeteria. Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman also announced Tuesday that schools will be adding locks to the front entrances.