At their July meeting, the Milford School District Board of Education approved updates to the Guns Free School Act as well as the Use of Force Policy. There were no changes to the Guns Free School Act policy, but one change to the Use of Force portion of the code of conduct.
“A school constable shall not unholster or exhibit a firearm under the following circumstances,” the new policy reads. “For maintenance of the firearm only in the event it is necessary to perform maintenance on the firearm on school grounds due to unforeseen circumstances, exigent circumstances such as debris or liquid being introduced into the holstered firearm and upon approval from the Supervisor of School Climate and Safety. In all other instances, firearm maintenance shall occur off school grounds.”
In addition, the words “and approved were added to a section that allows a constable to unholster the weapon in an appropriate and secure area. A constable may also unholster the weapon during on-duty training, practice or qualification with the firearm and language added included “and under the supervision of a qualified range master.”
There was no discussion regarding why the new policy was implemented, but, in December 2024, a constable accidentally discharged their weapon in a break room at Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center. There were no injuries or damage caused by the accidental discharge. No information was released regarding why the gun accidentally discharged other than Delaware State Police’s comment that it was “handled improperly.”
The changes to the policy were approved with a vote of four to zero. School Board Member Yanelle Powell was not present at the meeting.
