Author: Bernie James

Safety Law News for October 9, 2015

In Alabama, Calhoun County Schools now use dogs to find guns and drugs on campus. There were four drug arrests the first week the dogs were used, with some students turning themselves in. In North Carolina, officials in New Hanover…

Safety Law News for October 6, 2015

In Utah, a new school safety communications platform has been created. The system is called DIR-S. It incorporates a floor plan of the school and an instant messaging platform that allows all faculty and staff in the building with a…

Safety Law News for October 2, 2015

In Alabama, a federal judge has ruled that the use of pepper spray by Birmingham school resource officers in city high schools for non-violent minor incidents was unconstitutional. [J.W. v. Birmingham Board of Education] The U.S. Department of Education is…

Safety Law News for September 29, 2015

In Virginia, the Montgomery County Public Schools is ordering police officers not to use their body cameras on school property, no matter what the circumstance until a policy agreement can be worked out. In Massachusetts, students at Worcester high schools…

Safety Law News for September 22, 2015

In California, the Court of Appeal ruled that school officials have the authority to ask a school resource officer to search a student based upon reasonable suspicion. In the case a combination of facts created reasonable suspicion, including the student…

Safety Law News for September 18, 2015

The United States Court of Appeals has ruled that school officials have qualified immunity when accessing a student’s social-networking account upon receiving information that the student sent threatening online messages to another student, where those remarks concerned school activities and…

Safety Law News for September 15, 2015

In Texas, students and faculty throughout Lake Dallas ISD held a celebration called “SRO Day” where they honored their school resource officers on their campuses. In North Dakota, the Bismarck City Commissioners approved a budget that includes five M-4 assault…

Safety Law News for September 11, 2015

In Colorado, John Michael Keyes has created a school safety plan called Standard Response Protocol. It is a simplified emergency plan instructing students to follow one of four procedures during any situation: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter. Mr. Keyes is the…

Safety Law News for September 8, 2015

In Brunswick Ohio, officials are hosting a series of meetings for parents to address issues concerning students’ mental health and campus safety. The meetings feature presentations by mental health specialists, social workers, and school resource officers. In New Jersey, the…

Safety Law News for September 4, 2015

In Connecticut, the Bridgeport Police School Resource Officers now walk students to school as a part of the City of Bridgeport’s Safe Corridors program. The Safe Corridor Program is a community safety effort that provides a safe route to and…