School Safety Law Blog – Page 71 – News and Information for School Safety

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Safety Law News for June 14, 2018

by Bernie James • June 14, 2018

In Indiana, the Portage Township School Board approved a new school safety plan. The plan will emphasize mental health counseling, monitoring of student electronic devices, expanding the bullying hotline, adoption of restorative justice principles, and replacing full-time police officers with part-time officers.

In Louisiana, the Lafayette Parish School Board unanimously approved an agreement with the Sheriff’s Office and local municipal police departments to create a new School Resource Officer Program. Under the agreement, the sheriff’s office will oversee all school-based officers, even those from the other police agencies.

In Illinois, an independent study by the Illinois Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, the School Resource Officers Association, and the Illinois Partners/Educating Voices indicates minors are increasingly using, selling and distributing marijuana during school hours. 58% of drug incidents reported to the State Board of Education were marijuana-related.

In Nevada, the Washoe County School Board has reaffirmed its opposition to proposals to arm educators in its schools. The resolution adopted by the Board calls upon state and federal authorities to provide funding for additional school police officers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, firearm safety education programs, and security features in school buildings.

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Safety Law News for June 7, 2018

by Bernie James • June 7, 2018

In Texas, educators and law enforcement officials in Williamson County have co-signed a public letter calling for an in-house police department for the Round Rock ISD. The current estimate for establishing the school district police department is $1.08 million for one police chief, four officers and a dispatcher for the 2018-19 school year.

In California, school-based law enforcement officers in San Francisco are taking part in a four-day program called Policing the Teen Brain. The training is designed to help the officers improve relationships with children, de-escalate situations, and avoid the use of force. The training includes a discussion with a psychologist who explains mental health issues prevalent among teens and how police interactions can be traumatizing.

In Iowa, the Dubuque Police Department is now requiring its school-based law enforcement officers to take emotional intelligence training. The three day training is taught by the University of Dubuque Personal Empowerment staff. The training focuses on empathy, communicating with others, relationship management, and coping with anger.

In Kentucky, the school district safety committee in Marshall County has approved new security policies. The measures include walk-through metal detectors at all entrances of the high school and both middle schools, increasing the number of school resource officers from one to five, and prohibiting backpacks at middle and high schools.

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Safety Law News for June 5, 2018

by Bernie James • June 5, 2018

In Kentucky, the Warren County Superintendent is asking the board of education to implement the recommendations of the Regional Safety Task Force. The task force recommends the expansion of the school resource officer program and mental health services and the purchase of hand-held metal detectors.

Nationally, a new research study by Education Week compiles the responses of nearly 400 school resources officers on their duties. The study reports that seventy-three percent of SROs in school-police departments say their schools specify the types of issues SROs can intervene in as compared to 56 percent of those in local police/sheriff’s offices who assign officers to schools.

In Ohio, the Talawanda Board of Education has approved two personnel policies to deal with school safety. School resource officers will be assigned to each district building and social workers will be placed in each elementary school.

In Maine, the state has tasked the Juvenile Justice Assistance Group to study the use of school resource officers. The study will look at how school officers are hired, trained and how effective they are in dealing with a whole range of school-based issues. There are nearly 67 school resource law enforcement officers working in 93 schools. There are 620 public schools in the state.

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Safety Law News for May 31, 2018

by Bernie James • May 31, 2018

In Florida, the District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District held that a judge abused his discretion when it granted a student’s motion to dismiss an on-campus marijuana possession violation based upon judge’s perspective of the most suitable way to address juvenile’s circumstances. The court held that despite the judge’s belief that dismissal was in best interest of public and parties, the state attorney makes the final determination to prosecute. (State v. A.J.)

In Alabama, the Governor has created the Alabama Sentry Program that authorizes school administrators in Alabama to maintain a firearm on campus if their school does not have school-based law enforcement. It is a voluntary program that will require that the administrator complete training through the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

In North Carolina, Senate Bill 756, the School Security Act of 2018 has been introduced in the legislature. If enacted, teachers would be authorized to become undercover school resource officers. Each teacher would be required to undergo basic police training and would be sworn officers with guns in the classroom.

In Michigan, House Bill 6066 and House Bill 6067, have been introduced in the legislature. If enacted, teachers would be allowed to carry Tasers, self-defense sprays and foams. In order to carry a Taser, a teacher would have to obtain a concealed pistol license and undergo training.

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Safety Law News for May 25, 2018

by Bernie James • May 25, 2018

In New York, the Warren County Supervisors have discovered that it will cost $2,500 per year to have each of the Sheriff’s Office school resource officers covered by the county’s liability insurance. County leaders agreed to have the county absorb the cost for the upcoming year and discuss the matter with schools for future years.

In Wyoming, the Campbell County School District has approved a new policy that will arm school staff members. Six school officials will undergo 40 hours of active shooter training that will be specific to what could happen with a shooter in school.

In Colorado, the Loveland Police Department accepted donated body armor from Steel Ops, a Fort Collins, Colorado company, for its school resource officers. The protection vests, each containing extra layers of steel plating are said to be “more than capable of handling any of the threats seen lately.”

In Wyoming, the Casper City Council passed a resolution declaring a commitment to play an active role in preventing school violence. A budget proposal looks to tripling the number of police officers working inside its schools.

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Safety Law News for May 22, 2018

by Bernie James • May 22, 2018

In Colorado, officials in the Denver Public Schools are exploring a new policy of creating an in-house school district police department. Under the plan, the goal is to select and train armed police officers with power to arrest students, but in a manner consistent with district restorative justice policy, thereby relying less on outside police and ending the school-to-jail pipeline.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that seeks to collect data on the number of school resource officers nationwide. House Resolution 5242, also known as the School Resource Officer Assessment Act, heads to the Senate for consideration. It will require the attorney general and the secretary of education to collect information on how many resource officers are in the nation’s 95,230 public schools.

In North Carolina, the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission voted to require all school resource officers to complete training authored by the North Carolina Justice Academy. The new policy is in response to a request by the State Attorney General mandatory training to improve school safety.

In New York, the Warren County Supervisors approved a new policy that will place a school resource officer in each school. Each school district will collaborate with the County Sheriff’s Office for selection, training, and supervision of the officers.