Following yesterday's shooting at Wootton High School, I spoke with CBS News/WUSA about the urgent need to strengthen school safety throughout Montgomery County Public Schools.

The shooting at Wootton was a traumatic reminder that school safety cannot be treated as an abstract policy discussion. Students, teachers and staff need to know that when an emergency happens, trained professionals, strong security systems and clear response protocols are already in place.

CBS reported that MCPS was evaluating additional school safety measures following the Wootton shooting, including security technology and broader changes to how schools prepare for and respond to serious threats. Superintendent Thomas Taylor also said that “everything’s on the table” as the school system reviewed its approach.

I support a comprehensive approach to school safety. That should include stronger building security, improved cameras and emergency systems, appropriate weapons-detection technology where it can be effective, mental-health and behavioral-threat resources, trained school security personnel, and close coordination with law enforcement.

I also strongly support Montgomery County bringing back dedicated School Resource Officers in our high schools. Montgomery County ended its traditional SRO program in 2021 and replaced it with the Community Engagement Officer model, under which officers generally serve clusters of schools rather than being assigned inside an individual high school. Before that change, an officer was assigned to each of the County’s 25 high schools. I disagreed with that decision then, and I still believe it was a mistake.

I understand the concerns that have been raised about school-based policing, and any SRO program should include strong training, clear rules, accountability and a focus on safety and relationship-building rather than ordinary school discipline.

However, I believe there is an important value in having a trained officer who knows the school, knows the staff and students, understands the building and can respond immediately when seconds matter.

That became very real yesterday. My son was inside the school during the shooting and lockdown, barricaded in a classroom while families waited outside for information. What happened that day reinforced for me that we should use every reasonable tool available to protect students and staff.

Rockville has continued investing in its own school partnerships through the Rockville City Police Department’s Community Engagement Officer program. Those relationships are valuable, and I strongly support them. However, a cluster-based community engagement model is not the same as having a dedicated officer assigned inside a school every day.

School safety also cannot be reduced to a single program. SROs should be one part of a broader strategy that includes prevention, mental-health support, secure facilities, technology, emergency preparedness, strong communication and trusted relationships between students and adults.

After what happened at Wootton, I believe Montgomery County should take a fresh look at all of these tools, including restoring School Resource Officers to MCPS high schools.

Our students should be able to walk into school focused on learning, and parents should be able to send their children to school knowing that every reasonable step has been taken to keep them safe.

Watch the WUSA9/CBS report