DALLAS — Texas law, in response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, now requires school districts have an armed security officer on every campus. And a private security company in Dallas is being flooded with requests to help school districts meet those requirements.
"Yes. We knew that actually that could happen," said Lalit Sharma, Managing Partner of L&P Global Security.
In business in Texas since 2018, L&P provides licensed, armed security for banks, credit unions, construction sites and other private businesses. Now school districts, without enough school resource officers of their own, are calling businesses like L&P.
"First of all, Wylie was superb," said Charlie Hollis, Director of Operations for L&P Global Security. "They were so proactive with everything they did," he said of Wylie ISD. which was the first north Texas school district to enlist L&P for assistance.
Wylie ISD partners with the Wylie Police Department and the Sachse Police Department to provide school resource officers at its high schools and junior highs. The intermediate and elementary campuses, as has been normal for most schools across the state, did not have armed security. House Bill 3 changes that, requiring an armed, licensed and trained presence on every campus. Wylie ISD, with classes beginning next Thursday, is now coordinating with L&P Global Security for the 13 additional security personnel the district needs.
Allen ISD also sought help from the company and is in the process of putting 17 L&P security personnel in place by the start of their school year Aug. 10.
Hollis says they are still in discussions with at least a half-dozen other school districts in North Texas that are seeking the same help. HB 3 mandates that the security additions be in place by Sept. 1.
"They're all interested in it. A little late to the party. But they're all interested in it," Hollis said of some of the other districts they are trying to assist.
What that means for L&P is that a company with 200 statewide employees is rapidly trying to hire as many as 150 more. They are seeking qualified ex-military and retired peace officers able to pass strict background checks and meet specific training requirements. Hollis says that, out of every 10 candidates, only about three make the cut.
"That's the problem we are trying to fix," said Sharma of the immediate need for qualified security personnel statewide. L&P operates in DFW, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. "But the good thing is we have very good staff in this office which works tirelessly right now to hire good people, good talented people."
"Personally, I think the ones we've hand-picked are going to be superb," added Hollis. "The ones we have I have no doubt are going to be there for the long haul and they are going to be very diligent at their workload."
Meanwhile, the additional issue for most school districts is cost. HB 3 offers only partial funding for the additional security. Many school districts are looking at deficit budgets as they try to pay for the extra security.