Danbury Police Will Be at Schools All Week (UPDATE)

Danbury Police will increase its police presence in and around all city schools all week, instead of just Monday, as was reported Sunday.

The goal is to provide a safe environment for the students and faculty, said Police Spokesman Thomas Michael.

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In addition to that, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the city may find some "tweeks," to existing security that are worth talking about.

"We can always do better," Boughton said.

People have approached him and City Council President Joe Cavo about putting metal detectors at the entrances to schools, but Boughton said that wouldn't have stopped the gunman who shot his way into the Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday.

Boughton said one reason there are so many windows near a school entrance is that state laws set minimum standards for light inside a school. The windows provide free light.

Boughton said there is probably a safe medium between a wide open school on the one hand and on the other, a school designed out of concrete with check points and concertina wire.

"We can start the conversation," Boughton said.

Cavo said one question people have to ask is who is allowed inside a school? Another is should everyone be greeted and questioned.

"This is a conversation between the administration, Superintendent of Schools Sal (Pascarella), the police and the school board," Cavo said.

Pascarella put Danbury schools on a "soft" lock down Friday after receiving word of the Sandy Hook attack. That means nobody was allowed in or out without a verified reason, but inside the schools the students went about their school day, moving from class to class as needed.