School Safety Law Blog – Page 108 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for 12/22/14

by Bernie James • December 22, 2014

In September, Missouri lawmakers loosened gun restrictions by passing a bill that allows school districts to designate teachers or administrators to become school protection officers. A growing number of Missouri schools that have chosen to arm teachers.

Pennsylvania officials have announced that $3.9 million has been awarded to 114 schools and municipalities to fund the hiring of police and resource officers in schools across Pennsylvania. Priority for funding is given to schools and municipalities that employ officers who have completed additional training related to interaction with children and adolescents within a school setting.

In California, a policy that allows Merced County Sheriff’s Department administrators to search the personal cellphones of deputies is at the center of controversy. A deputy’s personal cellphone can be searched when “reasonable suspicion” exists of possible misconduct. Supervisors, detectives, and some school resource officers use their personal cellphones for work-related purposes.

by Bernie James • December 16, 2014

Orange County, Florida Public Schools, the tenth largest school district in the U.S., has voted to establish its own school police force. The officers will have arrest powers and be allowed to carry weapons on school property.

In Pennsylvania, York City police officials received approval to equip school resource officers with body cameras. The new policy will require the SROs to record incidents when officers are called to respond.

Texas A&M school police are implementing a body cam policy. The body cams will be worn by all uniformed personnel on duty. The goal is to provide more accurate accounts for written reports and court testimony and to provide data to evaluate policies, procedures, and use-of-force incidents.

In Virginia, incidents of bullying in Henry County Public Schools has decreased more than 40 percent over the last four school years. The role of school resource officers developing personal relationships with students is cited as a contributing factor.

by Bernie James • December 9, 2014

The Alabama State Department of Education has released the 2013 Annual School Incident Report. The report contains big data on student misconduct for all schools in the state.

The school superintendent in Boston, Massachusetts has vetoed a plan to equip school resource officers with pepper spray. The community input as solidly against implementing the policy.

Mansfield, Ohio police and school officials have implemented a school safety policy that will provide three police radios to the principals of the high school, middle school, and elementary school. The principals will use the radios to communicate directly with police in the event a critical situation occurs.

The Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent has announced a new policy in which all suspensions of students of color for nonviolent behavior will be reviewed by a special leadership team. The policy is part of an effort to eliminate disproportionate suspension rates by 2018.

by Bernie James • December 3, 2014

New Mexico Supreme Court rules that Juvenile Code 32A–2–14 provides children with greater statutory protection to remain silent than mandated by the federal or state constitutions. 32A–2–14 must be strictly construed and applied to confessions obtained by school officials who interrogate students. These confessions cannot be used for juvenile delinquency petitions unless the provisions of 32A–2–14 are satisfied. [State v. Antonio T].

Survey results of high-school students in New Jersey indicates that 34 percent of students surveyed had reported seeing or knowing about a weapon in school to an authority figure in the prior three months. The New Jersey Department of Education provided funding for the study through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program.

The New Jersey School Boards Association’s School Security Task Force has released its final report of best practices in school safety and climate, “What Makes Schools Safe?”

In New York, the Rochester School District is negotiating a new contract with the Rochester Police Department to provide school resource officers in schools, with a new focus on restorative justice practices for wayward students.

by Bernie James • November 26, 2014

Federal court rules that a school resource officer did not violate the civil rights of a special education student when he arrested her, handcuffed her, and transported her to the juvenile detention center following an altercation in the classroom. [J.H. ex rel. J.P. v. Bernalillo County]

California appellate court rules that a student’s act in walking away from a school resource officer, while knowing that officer wanted to talk with him, did not constitute resisting a police officer under California law, where juvenile did not physically resist the officer, and officer did not assert any authority or attempt to physically restrain juvenile. [In re Juan A]

Federal court denies summary judgment and qualified immunity to a school resource officer who confronted an unruly student—who posed no threat to the safety of the officer or anyone else – and used unreasonable force by (1) applying an arm-bar to restrain the student, (2) forcing the student up against the metal lockers, and (3) lifting the student off the ground using the arm bar. This conduct resulted in breaking the student’s arm. [Williams v. Nice]

by Bernie James • November 21, 2014

A School Safety Task Force will recommend that South Carolina schools practice more safety lock-down drills and have more School Resource Officers and more school psychologists.

Police and school officials in Providence, Rhode Island have signed an inter-agency agreement on a safe schools program in which principals have the final say over school discipline.

The Knox County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department now requires its school resource officers to stay current on online bullying practices and has implemented online bullying training.

The North Carolina Center for Safer Schools has released its 2014 Report to the Governor. It includes the implementation of a new state law that requires that schools have a school safety plan.