School Safety Law Blog – Page 78 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for October 27, 2017

by Bernie James • October 27, 2017

In Indiana, six officers from Clark County’s juvenile probation program will relocate their offices to the middle and high schools in Clarksville Community Schools, Greater Clark County Schools and West Clark Community Schools. The policy is designed to provide students on probation or at risk with better resources to succeed.

In California, officials in Santa Clara County are implementing an anti-bullying program that includes having school resource officers make presentations in elementary schools to arm students with knowledge about how to handle it.

In Maine, officials in Bar Harbor are implementing a school resource officers program. The memorandum of understanding with the Mount Desert Island Regional School System establishes guidelines on how the schools will interact with law enforcement.

In New Jersey, educators and police in Robbinsville have agreed to assign a second K-9 dog to the township’s schools. The dogs are used to sniff out explosives and tracking humans, like a lost child, missing person or a fleeing suspect.

by Bernie James • October 25, 2017

In New Mexico, the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that a school resource officer violated the rights of a student by arresting him under a state law that makes it illegal to “willfully interfere with the educational process” at a public school. [Scott v. City of Albuquerque].

In Maine, the Lewiston police chief credits youth outreach for lower crime rate. It is the result of a cooperative effort from the Police Department, schools, social service providers, and the community.

In Florida, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is implementing a child protection domestic violence intervention program that alerts school resource officers when parents of children in their schools have been arrested on a domestic violence charge.

In California, the U.S. District Court ruled that a social worker violated the Fourth Amendment when she arrived at the school to conduct an interview with a child to complete an abuse investigation about the parents. Since the interview was not undertaken by school officials for the purposes of maintaining order in the school, the social worker needed a warrant, court order, parental consent, exigency, or at the very least, reasonable suspicion to seize and interview the child at school. [Dees v. County of San Diego].

by Bernie James • October 20, 2017

In Connecticut, the Monroe Board of Education has modified the school resource officer job description to include officers wearing body cameras on school property. The new language states, “The school resource officer shall use [the] body worn camera in accordance with the police department policy.”

In Arkansas, a partnership between the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute and the Arkansas Department of Education will create the new Arkansas Center for School Safety. The mission of the Center is to make sure local law enforcement and educators are up to date on the best safety plans.

In California, the Governor signed into law a new policy that prevents individuals from carrying a concealed firearm onto school grounds. The law, AB 424, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2018, also strips the superintendent’s authority to give anyone written permission to conceal carry in school.

In South Carolina, officials in Richland County have amended the School Resource Officer Program to require that SRO’s to be trained to recognize students having emotional, physical, or intellectual disabilities.

by Bernie James • October 18, 2017

In Kentucky, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky ruled that the handcuffing of two small children was an unconstitutional seizure and excessive force. The court also found, as a matter of law, that Kenton County officials were liable for the handcuffing. The judge has ordered a trial be held to determine money damages.

Since 2010, there has been an 87% increase in school threats across the country according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. More recently, the Internet has become the primary threat source. Officials in the Kansas City, Missouri area received a threat posted on Snapchat that referenced the recent Las Vegas shooting, warning students not to come to school.

In Delaware, parents in the Caesar Rodney School District in Camden are seeking answers about the district’s approach to handling violent situations after a video of an assault of a special needs student was posted on social media.

In Colorado, officials in the Fountain 8 School District have added a canine to its school safety team. The dog is a nationally certified narcotics detection dog and can identify marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and psilocybin mushrooms.

by Bernie James • October 6, 2017

In Delaware, HB 176 was signed into law. The new policy eliminates zero tolerance for students who bring weapons to school and gives school boards more discretion when it comes to deciding whether to suspend a student for possession of a “deadly weapon.” The new policy will only be applied to weapons other than guns.

In North Carolina, Wake County school officials are changing the policy on intervention in school disruptions. The proposed policy will encourage faculty and staff to use de-escalation techniques and other non-physical means to break up confrontations between students.

In Pennsylvania, the Gateway School Board has accepted a donation of 18 Tasers from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office to be used by its own school police force of 12 officers.

In Arkansas, educators and legislators are seeking a more reliable funding stream for a Rave Panic Button mobile application. A new law (HB 1653) requires public schools to implement Panic Button systems, but only if funding is available.

by Bernie James • October 4, 2017

In Florida, local educators and Apopka Police Department are presenting a new elementary school program to help students make positive decisions. It’s called MAGIC – an acronym for Mentoring, Advising, Guiding and Instructing Children.

In South Carolina, Charleston County School Board members call for metal detectors after 3 students bring guns to school.

In Washington State, school resource officers have asked Spokane Public Schools to train and arm them with guns. The officers are school employees and are considered limited-commission officers who can arrest and investigate crimes both on and off school property.

In New Mexico, the Las Cruces School District has created a new public safety department that has 30 security guards working in the schools.

In New Hampshire, officials in Manchester are battling the opioid crisis, and school resource officers are on the front lines, helping students deal with the challenges they face every day.