Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Aug. 14, 2025 – Jonesboro Public Schools (JPS) announced Thursday it was partnering with Dynamic Integrated Security (DIS) to place armed officers on its campuses to better protect students.

Beginning in time for the 2025-2026 school year, the partnership will place commissioned school security officers (CSSO) at Douglas MacArthur and Annie Camp Junior High Schools.

CSSOs will also be present in the district’s magnet elementary schools and the Jonesboro Kindergarten Center. CSSOs will work alongside school resource officers already working in the district. There are no plans to add CSSOs at the high school, as it is staffed by JPD’s SROs.

DIS’s CSSOs are armed, complete over 90 hours of training in emergency response, combat medicine, and more, according to a JPS Facebook post.

“We already had weapons detection at our junior highs, but in order to run those, you have to be staffed, and so that’s why we decided to go with Dynamic,” JPS superintendent Misty Doyle said. “Once they finish on the campuses with weapons detection, because this school [Douglas MacArthur Junior High] already has an SRO and so does Annie Camp, they will then go to elementary for the rest of the day. They’re on a schedule and rotate so that every elementary campus will have an officer every day.”

JPS safety and security director Todd Nelson said the district worked tirelessly to create a safe, secure learning environment for everyone on its campuses.

Arkansas DIS regional manager Kris Jones said the CSSOs have one mission: to prevent an active shooter event. CSSOs are also trained in trauma medicine, stop the bleed training, and youth mental health. He said the emphasis on mental health support was to help prevent an active shooter situation and identify a “young student that’s in need.”

“By being so laser-focused on two tasks, the prevention of a crisis situation, and identifying the youth mental health side when they’re in need, we feel like we could substantially help the community and harden the security of schools,” Jones said.

Jones added that the CSSOs will work alongside the Jonesboro Police Department, such as in the event of a lockdown.

Florida-based DIS was founded by Zeev Fragachan, a former member of the Israeli Defense Forces. In addition to school security, DIS provides services like command and control systems, K9 weapon detection, and video surveillance. It provides school security in other states, such as Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Virginia, and more.

Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver praised the partnership during Thursday’s ceremony.

“The City of Jonesboro does work with all the schools on SROs, but this is a step even in another direction, and it’s for the betterment of our community,” he said. “It’s for the betterment of education, and it’s for the betterment of all.”