AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia congressman has introduced legislation to install panic buttons at schools to silently alert police to emergencies.

Democratic U.S. Rep John Barrow spoke during a news conference in Augusta Monday and told the Augusta Chronicle  his idea to install panic buttons between 2014 and 2018 has earned support from state and national law enforcement and education agencies.

Barrow says he wants to reauthorize a $30 million matching grant program for school security that was created under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to install the panic buttons.

Barrow introduced legislation to reauthorize the grant program Friday and it has been referred to the House judiciary committee.

The congressman represents Georgia's 12th district, which includes 19 counties in the southeastern region of the state.

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