MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Michigan State Police just announced 4 million dollars to be distributed to schools to improve their safety and security. Both Okemos and Haslett public schools will receive the grant funds.

"The safety of our students and educators is of paramount importance," state Michigan State Police Director.

In Meridian Township, Haslett public schools will receive nearly $60,000 from the state school safety grant while Okemos will receive more than $20,000.

The Financial Director of Haslett Public Schools Steve Cook said, they had submitted a specific plan to the competitive state grant program.

“Most of the money we will spend on is for the doors. we identify 27 doors across the district that need replacement…They don't have as much security because they don't necessarily lock as good as they used to so by replacing the doors the outside access to the building will be a lot more secure, " he said.

Okemos Public Schools have different plans to use the grant money to make their campus safe and friendly.

"We end up having the ability to increase the number of lock systems that we have in our building for our security. we are able to get a portable application that goes on our phones that we can use, called the 'rave', that we can use to notify police and staff during any time of a emergency situation without going through the 911 system," said Bob Bullock, Associate Principal of Chippewa Middle School and Kinawa Middle School.

According to the Michigan State Police, the awarded schools and local sheriffs have to spend the funds before September 2015. More than 200,000 students will benefit from the coming safety improvement.

The grant review committee includes representatives from school associations, and police and education departments. They had put priority to applications that will secure access points at school buildings, which they believe is a cost effective way to improve security.