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

Safety Law News for October 20, 2017

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.

by Bernie James • September 30, 2017

In Tennessee, officials in Wilson County are experiencing an increase in teen drug use. While most are from repeat offenders, the trend is causing educators and school resource officers to be more attentive. In Dickson County, officials are looking to the D.A.R.E. program as a primary resource.

In South Carolina, it has been one year since 14-year-old Jesse Osborne drove to the school and shot two students and a teacher. Local and state officials continue to debate, without agreement, new state policies to keep schools safe.

In Arizona, this school year over 500 public school teachers have fled the classroom, according to the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association. Of those, 90 flat-out abandoned the job, leaving their keys in the classroom and notifying administrators they wouldn’t be back the next day. A general lack of respect for the profession is one reason given. Another theme is school discipline, i.e., coping with nearly a third of the class coming in late because there are no consequence for tardiness.

In North Carolina, officials are discussing how to close a loophole in the law that prohibits registered sex offenders from being on school property.

In New Jersey, the Board of Education in Berkeley Heights has approved an agreement with the Berkeley Heights Police Department that will place a Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer into the school district. Class III officers must be a retired police officer who has previously served in law enforcement.

by Bernie James • September 8, 2017

In Arizona, the Phoenix City Council has approved agreements with 22 area districts at 94 schools to provide 83 school resource officers immediately.

In Illinois, the new police chief of the City of Niles unveiled several initiatives designed to bolster community-police relations and improve the police department’s ability to prevent crime. To increase collaboration between NPD and the school districts that serve the village, Chief Luis Tigera will be reinstating the School Resource Officer program.

In Colorado, officials in the Thompson School District are collaborating with the Loveland Police Department to implement a new program called the Digital Futures Initiative. The program teaches students proper digital citizenship – how to form appropriate relationships both online and in person and avoid substance abuse.

In North Carolina, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Johnston County and Cumberland County school districts joined the Asheville City, Transylvania County and Tyrrell County school districts to ban the use of the prone restraint technique on students.