School Safety Law Blog – Page 82 – News and Information for School Safety

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Safety Law News for April 6, 2018

by Bernie James • April 6, 2018

In Florida, the Alachua City Commission has approved funds to upgrade the firearms used by its school resource officers. The Sig Sauer MCX rifle had been selected as most suitable for the school environment. The new rifles will be in the officers’ possession at all times.

In Maryland, the Senate passed SB 1226, a measure to improve school safety. The proposal was sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration. Under the legislation, all public schools would be required to have a school resource officer or demonstrate plans for coverage from law enforcement by the start of the next school year. If enacted, the law would take effect on July 1, 2018.

In Iowa, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a high school teacher for sexual exploitation under Iowa Code Ann. § 709.15(3)(a)(2). The court reasoned that substantial evidence established that the teacher (1) sent messages that encouraged the student to enter into an intimate relationship and (2) hugged the student for his own sexual gratification within the meaning of the criminal statute. [State v. Wickes]

In Alabama, officials of the schools in Guntersville are enacting a new policy to put a full-time officer at every school and to upgrade campus video cameras.

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Safety Law News for April 3, 2018

by Bernie James • April 3, 2018

In Wisconsin, the Eau Claire school board unanimously passed revisions to its new policy regarding school resource officers, which now includes a clause that declares a commitment to anti-racism both from officers and the district.

In Maryland, Harford County schools will receive $1.2 million in new school safety funding. $773,000 will be dedicated to expanding the school resource officers program into its middle schools.

In Florida, officials in the Broward County Public School district are implementing new student safety procedures at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. After the shooting rampage in February 2018, the new policy requires student to wear an ID badge at all times. Students were also given clear backpacks.

In Arkansas, the Little Rock School District is planning to train a combination of administrators, guards, and staff to carry weapons. The training includes 60 hours of initial training as well as additional training over time.

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Safety Law News for March 28, 2018

by Bernie James • March 28, 2018

In Texas, the Fort Worth Independent School District has granted the Fort Worth Police Department access to school video in real time whenever police deem it necessary. School resource officers already have access and now Fort Worth Police will have access. Any video images can be transmitted to patrol officers on the street.

In Arizona, the City of Glendale announced Friday that effective immediately, all high schools will have a dedicated police officer on campus. The city is home to nine different public high school campuses that belong to four separate school districts.

In New York, four school districts in Washington County have committed to putting armed police officers in their schools through a new school resource officer program that the County Sheriff’s Office plans to create in the coming months.

In Maryland, the Howard County Police Department has implemented a new policy to improve school safety. Police officers will begin making regular foot patrols inside every elementary school, middle school, high school, and private school.

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Safety Law News for March 23, 2018

by Bernie James • March 23, 2018

In Florida, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office is shifting patrol and staffing assignments in order to increase its presence at Lee County Schools. It will designate at least 40 additional officers as SROs and shift an additional 100 officers to every county school.

In Indiana, the United States District Court, upheld the search of an alternative school student’s car parked off school grounds. The court reasoned (1) that the physical location of the property in relation to school grounds is but one factor to be considered in measuring reasonable suspicion under T.L.O., and (2) alternative schools have an even greater need to maintain discipline and safety for the protection of students and staff, and create a healthy learning environment, than regular public schools based on the nature of their student population. [Kissinger v. Fort Wayne Community Schools]

In Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that a school district had reasonable suspicion to compel a urinalysis drug test from middle school teacher to justify termination for immoral conduct under the Public School Code. [Metz v. Bethlehem Area School District]

In Tennessee, the Rhea County School Board, along with the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department, signed a letter addressed to the Rhea County Commission requesting the hiring of four additional school resource officers in order to increase safety at county schools.

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Safety Law News for March 15, 2018

by Bernie James • March 15, 2018

In Minnesota, a proposed Senate bill that would have eliminated state funding for police officers in school districts across the state has been reversed just two hours before the start of its first hearing in front of the Education Policy Committee.

In New Jersey, the Long Branch Police Department is looking for candidates to fill the new position of Special Class III police officers, who would be assigned to guard schools in the Long Branch School District. The school district currently does not have any officers assigned to schools.

In Maryland, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland ruled that a student was not in custody when questioned about the ownership of a backpack containing a handgun, ammunition, and drugs. The mere presence of the school resource officer did not convert the meeting in the principal’s office into a custodial situation. [IN RE: J.M.]

In California, the Court of Appeal, Second District ruled that a school administrator’s search of a student was reasonable because it was based on an individualized suspicion of wrongdoing. The administrator discovered a knife after a teacher reported that the student might be under the influence of drugs in violation of school policy. The teacher’s report provided the reasonable suspicion necessary for a search. [In re M.C].

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Safety Law News for March 13, 2018

by Bernie James • March 13, 2018

In Florida, the Governor signed into law legislative reforms to school safety, mental health and gun-control measures. Part of the $400 million allocated in the law will be used to hire and train more school resource officers and mental health counselors and install extra safety equipment.

In Arkansas, the Arkansas School Safety Commission will recommend school safety policy and campus design practices after the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida. On the list of issues will be a recommendation on procedures necessary to deputize staff members.

In Florida, officials in Flagler County schools will be ramping up from six to 13 full-time school resource officers. This will allow for one deputy assigned to each elementary and middle school, two to each high school and one supervisor to float between campuses.

In Tennessee, the Tennessee School Safety Task Force disclosed data that show that Tennessee has more than twice the national average of incidents where students bring firearms to school and just 865 school resource officers for the state’s nearly 1 million students.

In Congress, two bills have been introduced to enhance school safety. H.R. 5185, or the Protect America’s Schools Act, would appropriate $1.5 billion for the Community Oriented Policing Services’ School Resource Officer program. The COPS program helps provide grant funding, technical assistance, and resources for local government agencies to staff schools with SROs. H.R. 5186, or the Veterans Securing Schools Act, would allow state or local veterans to serve as school resource officers.