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School police could wear their guns to school today after a 5-2 vote of the Albuquerque Board of Education.

The vote Wednesday night overturned a years-old policy that prohibited Albuquerque Public Schools police from wearing their sidearms during school hours.

School police had long wanted the change.

"I'm happy. I'm glad it's over," APS Police Director Bill Reed said of the battle for a new gun policy.

"We're going to be armed tomorrow," he said after the vote.

Until today, officers had to lock their weapons in the trunks of their vehicles during schools hours.

The new policy lifts the restriction and allows officers to carry their guns around the clock.

Reed said the next battle will be for higher wages for the department's officers. "That may be a bigger challenge," he said.

The gun restriction and low wages have hampered recruiting for vacant school police positions, officers have argued for months.

The school board has endorsed a plan to upgrade the school Police Department and improve wages, but no raises have been proposed to date.

Voting against the new gun policy were board members Dolores Griego and Robert Lucero. It was passed by Paula Maes, Gordon Rowe, Mary Lee Martin, Berna Facio and Marty Esquivel.