Through the new program, FISD will be placing an armed officer at each of its elementary school campuses over the next two school years. The district will hire 49 marshals with four lead marshals, said Jon Bodie, FISD’s director of emergency management during a presentation at the board’s May 12 meeting.
The district’s board of trustees approved the program May 12 and later approved a memorandum with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for school marshal training and certification June 9. As part of the agreement, the commission will vet potential candidates for the training course and recruit the training providers for the training program, the agenda stated.
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Marshals will be on campus solely for armed protection and not to stop fights or direct traffic, Bodie said, but may help with other safety tasks on a campus such as daily door checks.
Requirements for marshal officers include:
- Hold a Texas License to Carry
- Complete an 80 hour marshal course at a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement academy
- Pass an L-3 psychological evaluation and be recertified every two years
- Complete 16 hours of marshal recertification every two years
- Peace officer experience will be required with a preference for fully retired police officers
The school marshall program will help the district fulfill state requirements regarding security officers. House Bill 3 mandates all schools within a district must have an armed security officer present during regular school hours, such as a school district law enforcement officer, school resource officer or law enforcement officer commissioned to work for the district.
FISD claimed an exemption in August 2023 as there were not enough available police officers to be compliant with the law.
