Fla. mom writes check to put cop at kid's elementary school

FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. A Florida mother has effectively hired a deputy for her daughter's elementary school because of concerns she had after last month's mass school shooting in Connecticut, CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG-TV reports.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office said Laura Lauria wrote a check for nearly $12,000 to the Flagler County School District, which will reimburse the sheriff's office to station a deputy for six hours a day, five days a week, at Old Kings Elementary School in Flagler Beach.

Currently, school resource deputies are stationed at all Flagler County high schools and as many as three middle schools, but not at elementary schools.

A sheriff's spokesman said Lauria funded the hiring through her police supply company, Police Services Inc.

Lauria could not be reached for comment Monday.

The spokesman also said the sheriff's office wants to put deputies at all schools in the county and is working on finding funding.

Flagler County parents told WKMG-TV they support the addition of the deputy.

"If I had the money I'd hire four or five," said grandmother Gwen Hedley. "To know there's somebody there that if somebody comes in with a gun they could try and stop them before they kill more children."

Parent Lisa Howell agreed.

"I think it's going to make a lot of parents feel more comfortable that someone else is able to do that, but it's also helping a lot of people," Howell said.