PSJA ISD host ceremony for new Safety and Security Center

ALAMO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Pharr San Juan Alamo Independent School District hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new School Safety and Security Center on Thursday.

The newly renovated center is the new home for the PSJA Police and Security Department. The facility features the latest tools and equipment and includes a centralized command conference room and training room for police and security staff.

"Our police department and security team will now be housed within one location, working side by side and hand in hand to have that utmost safety at our campuses and our facilities within the district," said Rolando Garcia, Donna ISD Chief of Police.

Garcia said the center is not only for the district but is also crucial to the growth of the police department.

"We're growing," said Garcia. "We were just established five years ago and we're only going to keep growing from this."

The district has added armed and trained officers called "Guardians", who are placed at all elementary schools to ensure the safety and security of students and staff.

"Now having them as an extension of law enforcement, it's really going to enhance the safety and security," he said.

Additionally, Garcia added the department's implementation of a new shatter-resistant security film from a $6.4M grant they received.

"We're not just doing the storefront of the schools, we're doing every window, every piece of glass that has access from the outside to get inside is going to be covered by this film."