FARMINGTON, N.M. – A school district with a history of tragedy is putting another important safety measure into place. It has its first armed campus safety monitor. 

He was sworn in earlier this week and is hitting the ground running. He also has first-hand experience in what could be the worst day in a student’s life. 

The new safety monitor was a first responder back in 2017 when a former student opened fire at Aztec High School, killing two students. 

KOB 4 spoke to the new security monitor Wednesday about his new position and the plans to add more monitors. 

“I’m just like a regular law enforcement officer on the street, it would just be specific to the schools,” said James “JJ” Roberts.

JJ is now officially the first armed campus safety monitor for Farmington Municipal Schools. He has been with FMS for three years at Pedra Vista High School. Before that, he worked with multiple law enforcement agencies. 

“Had a lot to do with use of force, firearms training, I was a fire arms instructor,” said JJ. 

JJ was also one of the first on the scene in 2017 when a former student shot and killed two students at Aztec High School. He says that shooting prompted a lot of change for local law enforcement.

“Safety procedures and different things. This is a big step towards that,” said JJ. 

The school district only has one armed safety monitor right now but plans to add two more in the near future. 

The school district is committed to getting the right person for the job. Applicants will have to go through psychological evaluations, background checks, and physicals. 

“To make sure that we’re not just putting another gun in a school, that it’s actually there as a tool,” said JJ.