August 24, 2026 — When more than 100,000 students go to school every day, parents trust Cobb Schools to help keep them safe and secure throughout the school day. A safe school environment allows students and teachers to focus on teaching and learning.
A $35 million annual investment in safety from Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and the Board sends a c
lear message to families that Cobb Schools takes safety seriously. That commitment shows up in the people, training, technology, and planning in place every day to protect the school day.
“We’ve made a significant investment in safety because parents deserve to know we’re doing everything we can to protect their children," said Cobb Schools Board of Education Vice-Chair David Chastain.
Even with dedicated public safety officers in place, countless hours of training, and state-of-the-art technology, keeping schools safe requires ongoing preparation and vigilance.
Cobb Shield's robust safety measures work alongside ongoing planning, training, and preparation to help our teams stay ready to respond while minimizing disruption to the school day.
Preparation Happens Every Day
With over 80 dedicated police officers and 16 Vapor Wake K9 teams, Cobb Schools are prepared to respond when safety concerns arise.
Officers train for hours on what to do in an emergency and regularly review security measures with staff to ensure that, if something were to happen, everyone is on the same page and prepared.
Every high school in the district has a Vapor Wake K9 team that works throughout the campus as part of the district’s layered approach to safety. What makes these K9s different is their specialized training to detect scents associated with concealed firearms and explosives, including when a person is moving through a campus.
The K9s have become familiar faces in their school communities, often greeting students and staff as they go about their work. Their friendly presence is part of the everyday school experience, even as they quietly provide another layer of safety. The K9 teams also receive ongoing training to maintain and strengthen their skills. Their specialized detection capabilities provide an additional layer of protection and help Cobb Schools remain prepared to identify potential threats.
While specific Code Red drill details are not publicly shared, these drills take place at every school to help ensure students and staff are prepared to respond in an emergency.
Safety Is Layered
From the minute a student gets on the bus in the morning, while they're in the classroom, and all the way until they're dropped off safely at the end of the day, Cobb Schools makes it a priority to keep each student safe. For every step throughout the day, there's a practice in place to do just that.
When students board the bus, drivers can use new Edulog technology to access additional tools that support safety, visibility, and efficient route management.
During the school day, you'll see Vapor Wake K9s and officers provide a friendly face and a sense of safety as soon as you walk in the door.
These officers and dogs are constantly monitoring behaviors and possible threats throughout the day.
Each educator in schools can also alert an officer with the click of a button if they see a potential safety concern or threat. This provides safety coverage across the entire campus, ensuring every student is accounted for and protected.
School Safety Operations oversees the district’s school safety initiatives, helping ensure every school has the preparation, plans, and safety practices in place to help keep students and staff safe.
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When Something Happens, the Response Matters
With its own dedicated police department, the Cobb County School Police can focus on student safety and security around the clock.
This means that when a safety concern arises, officers are positioned throughout the district to respond quickly where they are needed.
When there is a potential safety concern, staff, officers, and students can rely on the hours of training they've completed. Thanks to Code Red and other preparedness drills, students and teachers know exactly what to do.
No matter the threat, Cobb Schools police officers are trained to respond to each instance as if it were a credible threat to safety. That training is put into practice every day, giving families confidence that officers are ready to respond when they are needed.
The Student Safety Team, made up of district staff and leadership, reviews every incident and how it was handled. This ongoing review helps Cobb Schools learn from each response and continually improve.
Everyone Has a Role in School Safety
Everyone, from students, teachers, administration, parents, and community members, can play a major role in keeping schools a safe place.
The way this happens is simple: if you see something, say something.
Cobb Schools has a 24/7 tipline for anyone who sees a possible threat or safety concern. When submitting a tip, include the Cobb County School District identification code 1760 in order to designate the tip as related to Cobb Schools. To submit a tip-call or text 470-689-0298, email 1760@alert1.us, or report online at http://1760.alert1.us.
No matter the school or the student, Cobb Schools remains dedicated to ensuring every child has the best education possible, all while staying safe in the process.
From the moment a student steps on the bus, enters the classroom, and visits with friends at lunch to the time they head home or cheer on their high school under the Friday night lights, Cobb’s layers of protection work together to make Cobb Schools campuses among the safest places in the community.
