Atlanta Public Schools debuts tactical response and drone teams to strengthen school security: "We want to make sure our kids are protected"

Atlanta Public Schools is rolling out new tactical response and drone teams as part of a broader effort to strengthen campus security across the district.

On Tuesday, APS gave CBS News Atlanta an inside look at the specialized units, which officials say were created to better protect students and staff in the event of a campus emergency. 

"When the Apalachee shooting happened a few years ago, that triggered a lot of voices in the community saying, 'Look, we want to make sure our kids are protected,'" APS Police Chief Ronald Applin said. 

Applin said plans to establish a tactical response team had been under development for some time but gained renewed urgency following the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.

After the shooting, the Atlanta Board of Education approved placing a police officer at every school. Since then, APS has expanded its police department from about 60 officers to roughly 100, making it the largest school police force in Georgia, according to the district.

The expanded staffing allowed APS to create a dedicated tactical unit equipped with two drones designed to assist officers during emergency situations. 

During Tuesday's demonstration, officers wearing tactical vests and helmets showed how the team would locate, approach and take a suspect into custody using non-lethal force. The officers demonstrated specialized handguns that fire color-coded ink projectiles rather than traditional ammunition. 

Officials said the projectiles are designed to mark suspects for identification without penetrating the body. 

District leaders say the new teams are intended to improve emergency response capabilities while giving parents additional confidence that schools are prepared to respond quickly if a crisis occurs.