The Smithtown Central School District is the latest district on Long Island to decide to have armed security guards on school grounds.

In a recent letter to families, the district stated in part, “our district has made the decision to bolster our security detail by adding armed guards to the perimeter of each of our schools to strengthen our ability to respond during a crisis…”

This comes in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at Michigan State University.

Other Long Island school districts that have acquired armed guards include Massapequa, West Babylon, Hauppauge, Montauk and Tuckahoe Common.

Although there is currently no set date as to when armed guards will appear on school grounds, the district says it is in contact with security firms to find who could best serve their needs. Once they decide, the district says the guards will receive extensive training to prepare for the job.

News 12’s Caroline Flynn spoke to some community members about the new safety measure.

“If they’re outside of the schools, as long as they’re vetted and trained, it’s OK,” said one resident.

“We want safety for our children. They’re going to be trained. It’s a positive thing,” said a parent.

"You can never be too safe for our children. I think it's an amazing idea. I think they should have a lot of security at these schools,” said parent Christine Sapienza.

While some parents are in favor of armed guards, others remain skeptical.

"I don't know how, if a kid is all the way over here and shoots up a classroom, how a security guard with a gun is going to stop it,” said parent Jennifer McNaughton.