MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — A metro Atlanta school system wants to spend more than $500,000 on police cars to help protect its schools.

The Marietta Daily Journal reports  that the Cobb County School District would use the cars to help campus resource officers respond to security needs.

The board on Wednesday will consider approving a $530,000 contract with Hardy Chevrolet Inc. of Dallas, Ga., and Akin Ford Corp. of Winder to purchase 17 marked police cars for the school district's 38 campus officers who serve 112 schools.

Ron Storey, the director of public safety in Cobb Schools, said the purchase of these 17 cars is the first phase of his department's plan to help resource officers respond better to safety problems.