Law officers on duty in schools in Mason County

MAYSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Youngsters returning to school after the holiday break were greeted by law officers in a northeastern Kentucky community.

After last month's shooting massacre at a Connecticut school, Mason County Sheriff Patrick Boggs announced he would assign deputies to spend time at local public and private schools in the county 140 miles northeast of Louisville. He says he supported a stepped-up law enforcement presence in schools long before the massacre in Newtown, Conn.

On Monday, Boggs and Deputy Ryan Hull hugged and high-fived pupils at Straub Elementary in Maysville. They walked the halls and stopped in classes.

Kindergarten teacher Lauren Doyle told her class that the officers are their friends and are there to make sure everyone is safe. Parents and teachers praised Boggs for his commitment to school safety.

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