1. (1) Each county sheriff shall identify an individual as a county security chief within the sheriff's office to coordinate security responsibilities, protocols, and required trainings between the state security chief, the county sheriff's office, and the corresponding police chiefs whose jurisdiction includes a public school within the county.

2. (2) The county security chief shall:

   1. (a) in collaboration with the school safety and security specialist described in Section 53G-8-701.6 and a member of the local law enforcement agency of relevant jurisdiction as described in Section 53-25-701:

      1. (i) administer or coordinate with a designee from the local law enforcement agency of relevant jurisdiction to participate in, by any appropriate means the county security chief determines, the school safety needs assessment described in Section 53G-8-701.5; and
      2. (ii) review the results of the school safety needs assessment to recommend and implement improvements to school facilities, policies, procedures, protocols, rules, and regulations relating to school safety and security;

   2. (b) collaborate and maintain effective communications regarding school safety with each:

      1. (i) school safety and security specialist in the county security chief's county, as described in Section 53G-8-701.6;
      2. (ii) school safety and security director in the county security chief's county, as described in Section 53G-8-701.8; and
      3. (iii) local law enforcement agency within the county;

   3. (c) administer, or, if a local education agency chooses, designate qualified entities to administer, with the corresponding police chiefs whose jurisdiction includes a public school, the trainings described in Sections 53-22-105 and 53G-8-704, including:

      1. (i) assessing if an individual is capable of the duties and responsibilities that the trainings cover;
      2. (ii) denying an individual the ability to be any of the school safety personnel described in Section 53G-8-701.5 if the county security chief finds the individual is not capable of the duties and responsibilities that the trainings cover; and

      3. (iii) for any designated entity under this Subsection (2)(c):

         1. (A) ensuring the designated entity meets minimum training standards established by the state security chief;
         2. (B) providing written approval of the designation;
         3. (C) ensuring the designated entity coordinates with local law enforcement of the relevant jurisdiction; and
         4. (D) maintaining oversight and final authority over all training administration; and
   4. (d) in conjunction with the state security chief, administer the school guardian program established in Section 53-22-105 at any school participating in the program in the county security chief's county.

Amended by Chapter 170, 2026 General Session