MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - It is a priority for the Meridian Township Police Department to keep schools safe. The Department works directly with Okemos and Haslett school districts to do just that.

"Our schools actually have radio systems in place that we can contact them with," said Ken Plaga, Assistant Chief, Meridian Township Police.

Officers do walk throughs of schools throughout the school year. Plaga says this allows officers to get familiar with the schools' layout and day-to-day activity, while also allowing students to become more comfortable around the officers. Each school district has two designated Meridian Township Police officers they can go to for assistance.

The officers work with school personnel to conduct emergency drills.

"They have fire drills, but they also have lock down drills so they practice in case there is an intruder, or something bad that's going on outside of the building they've practiced how to handle those," Plaga added.

The Meridian Township Police Department also work to keep schools drug free.

"On a regular basis they'll ask that we use our narcotics sniffing dogs and we've been successful in that," said Plaga.