School Resource Officer increase in Tennessee

Tennessee's education commissioner says the law enforcement presence in schools is increasing, but 450 schools still a lack a school resource officer.

Commissioner Penny Schwinn told lawmakers Monday that grants totaling $7.2 million this year have added 206 new school resource officers statewide, totaling 1,378 officers.

Schwinn says requiring officers at schools would be a big budget request, but nothing is more important than children's safety and health.