Milford Plans 10 Armed School Guards for 2026-27
Milford Public Schools plans to add 10 armed security guard positions for the 2026-27 school year, extending dedicated coverage to each of the city’s eight elementary schools and adding positions at The Academy alternative high school and for supervision.
The proposed program is estimated to cost approximately $576,000. That amount was included in the district’s $118.95 million budget request, which the Milford Board of Aldermen approved on May 7.
The plan was reported July 1 and was intended to be in place for the start of the 2026-27 school year. It remains a staffing plan, however, and the available reporting does not confirm that all 10 positions had been filled by Aug. 7.
Where the guards would be assigned
Eight of the planned positions would be assigned to Milford’s elementary schools, with one guard at each school. A ninth guard would be assigned to The Academy, the district’s alternative high school. The 10th position would be a supervisor for the program.
The planned guards would be employees of Milford Public Schools rather than Milford police officers. That makes the new positions different from the existing school resource officers at the district’s middle and high schools, who are police employees.
The distinction matters for how the program would operate. The district would employ the new guards, while the Milford Police Department is expected to help with training. A parent-student group would also assist with the hiring process.
Hiring requirements and budget
Applicants must be former law-enforcement officers in good standing, according to the district’s stated requirements. Milford also said it was increasing the experience requirement from the statutory 10 years to 15 years.
The estimated $576,000 cost is part of the larger school budget request approved by the Board of Aldermen. The source reporting identifies the amount as the program’s estimated cost; it does not establish a separate annual renewal amount or provide a final spending total.
For Milford schools, the practical result of the plan would be a dedicated armed security presence at every elementary school, in addition to the planned coverage at The Academy and the supervisory post. The program’s stated purpose is to address a security gap at the elementary schools.
What remains unresolved
The next step is the hiring and preparation of guards before the start of the 2026-27 school year. The available sources do not say how many positions had been filled as of Aug. 7.
They also do not identify which individual guards would be assigned to particular schools or name successful applicants. The packet does not provide details about daily schedules, duties, reporting structure beyond the supervisory position, or how the program would be evaluated after it begins.
For families and taxpayers, the plan combines a defined school-safety staffing structure with a significant budget allocation. The approved district request provides the financial framework, but the immediate implementation question is whether Milford can complete hiring and training for all 10 district employees in time for the 2026-27 school year.
Sources
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