Butler County to increase deputy patrols at schools

HAMILTON, Ohio - To help ward off any potential copycat crimes after the Connecticut shooting, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office is increasing its patrols at area schools.

All Sheriff’s Office patrol units are being instructed to substantially increase their visibility at schools within their normal patrol districts.  The deputies will frequently patrol through school parking lots and the various other areas on school grounds.

To help with the high visibility order, the Sheriff’s Office will be adding at least two additional marked units during normal school hours to specifically patrol school grounds, said Sheriff Richard K. Jones.

Although there is no way to guarantee that an incident like the last week’s Connecticut incident won’t happen here, the sheriff hopes that these actions can limit the potential of a similar tragedy.

“Most of the recent victims were young, innocent children.  We have to take whatever steps we can to protect our future,” Jones said.  “Kids should be safe at school.  We have to do anything we can to try to keep them that way.”