Area lawmakers are continuing the fight for safer schools.

Rep. Tom Reed joined colleagues on Thursday in reintroducing the School Resource Officer Act.

The act will assist law enforcement agencies in hiring additional SROs by directing money for grants to pay for the salaries and benefits of the officers.

“A development of a trusting relationship where the police officers are no longer viewed in a negative way, they're viewed in a positive way,” Rep. Reed said. “That is the goal of what community policing is all about and when it comes to law enforcement our men and women in law enforcement deserve our respect.”

The bill still needs to pass the committee phase before it’s brought to the full House for a vote.