New plan unveiled to protect Ohio schools includes teacher, police, mental health training

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new plan to protect Ohio schools is being unveiled by the Ohio Attorney General's Office that includes teacher safety training, as well as the possibility of allowing guns in schools as protection.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a new Oho school safety initiative at a news conference in Columbus Wednesday morning.

The plan calls for increased safety training for teachers, school administrators and local police as well as working closely with mental health officials to prevent deadly school shootings.

In addition, DeWine said he would not take any safety steps "off the table" including the use of guns inside schools as a method of protection.

DeWine said the decision to use guns in Ohio schools rests with local school boards but said that it may be appropriate for "those with proper training," such as police officers, to carry weapons inside schools to prevent an active shooter from carrying out mass killings.

A special training class will begin in January for teachers, administrators and police that will cover issues specifically looking at how to identify potential shooters before an incident unfolds.

The Ohio Department of Education says it will work closely with schools across the state on new training.

In addition, DeWine confirmed an exclusive 5 On Your side investigaton that first revealed that many school floor plans are inadequate and out of date.

DeWine said "the vast majority" of floor plans are not useful and his new safety initiative calls on schools to revise plans and resubmit them to more fully comply with Ohio law.

Guidelines have been mailed to schools across Ohio instructing administrators how to prepare floor plans and what should be included.