FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Florence One Schools created a new position, and hired a Director of Security and School Safety.

Douglas Nunnally started the job with the school district two weeks ago.

“My first priority is to ensure that all of the schools have a common set of procedures to operate off of,” Nunnally told News13. “We want to make sure that all of the staff are thoroughly trained, and know how to respond quickly in the event of an emergency.”

Nunnally is a former Federal Officer with the United States Secret Service, Uniformed Division, and has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience.

“The teachers and the principals are really our first line of defense,” Nunnally said. “I want to make sure that they’re adequately  prepared, and equipped to take care of the children under their protection.”

Florence One School Board Chairman, Barry Townsend, said the district is excited to have Nunnally as the new director.

“He has a very extensive background, and experience in an awful lot of areas including the secret service, and so I think we were fortunate to find someone who has his experience, and can bring that experience and skills to Florence One,” Townsend said.

Nunnally will train teachers and staff on how to react in emergency situations.

“We’re going to start out with some enhanced training, as far as responding to active shooter situations,” he said. “My top priority is to ensure that when parents send their children off to school every day; that they’re going to come home every night.” 

Townsend said it was extremely important to the district to have this position within the district.

“Unfortunately security becomes more and more of an issue for schools, and before we can get to the business of teaching, and learning we have to ensure that our students and our staff have a safe place in which to do that,” Townsend said. “We’re dedicated to making sure that is the case.”

Townsend said the security position was overseen by former Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, Lionel Brown.

Brown retired at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

Nunnally will take a preventative approach regarding school safety and security.

“The first thing I do is kind of look at things from the outside to see if there’s anything out of place,” he explained. “Does everything look according to what it should be?”

Nunnally said after he walks around the outside of the building he speaks with the office staff, and principle.

“I’d see if they have any current concerns or issues that need to be identified,” he said. “Maybe it’s something of a physical or mechanical nature regarding security that I might be able to help get addressed quicker,” he continued. “Then I start doing my tour of walking around, looking for anything out of place, observing the activity there from the classroom transitions, [and] the arrival and dismissal process when the kids come to school, and when they leave in the afternoon.”

Nunnally said he will hold monthly security drills, and work alongside School Resource Officers to create school safety and security programs.

The new Director of Security and School Safety said overall, he understands transparency is important to the community.

“I’ve been aware of the challenges and issues that the district has had to deal with,” said Nunnally. “And I’ve often thought wow with my experience what would I do in that situation? And now I’ve got the chance to prove myself.”