Safety Law News for March 29, 2016

  • In South Carolina, A months’ long review by The Greenville News found discrepancies between what the district is reporting in its annual crime reports to the state Department of Education and what local police are investigating on school grounds.  Assault cases, including four reports of sex offenses were omitted by school officials.

Safety Law News for March 23, 2016

  • In North Carolina, the Governor’s Task Force on Safer Schools and the Center for Safer Schools is providing guidance to schools and local police to take action against gangs.

Safety Law News for March 8, 2016

  • In New York, the number of violent incidents on school campuses increased  by nearly 23 percent last year — reaching the highest level in at least a decade.  That includes a 40.4 percent increase in the number of assaults with injury and a 48.4 percent jump in assaults with “serious” ­injury.
  • In Illinois, the legislature has introduced amendments to the Safe Routes to School program.  The proposed policy [HB 2623] would increase funding to improve street safety for students walking to school.
  • In Colorado, the legislature has introduced a school safety policy that would allow licensed mental health professionals to disclose “articulable and significant” threats against schools to administrators and police.  The proposal, [16-1063] would not require therapists and counselors to disclose such threats, but those who do would be protected from lawsuits. Current state law requires mental health professionals to report “imminent” school threats.

Safety Law News for March 4, 2016

  • In Alabama, the Huntsville City School District is implementing a district-wide social media monitoring program.  School officials will monitor students’ social media posts and, if necessary, discipline students for the content of the posts.
  • In Pennsylvania, the Hazleton Area School District has cut its use of metal detectors to moderate the time-consuming policy of scanning every person who entered a district school. The detectors will now be used randomly.
  • In Idaho, the House of Representatives passed HB 514 and sent the legislation to the Senate.  The proposal would establish an Office of School Safety and Security that would administer security assessments, training, and technical assistance for schools to improve their safety and security.

Safety Law News for March 1, 2016

  • In Virginia, the legislature is considering HB 487 that if enacted would relieve school resource officers of the duty to enforce school board rules and codes of student conduct.   The House easily passed a bill 95-2.  It now awaits consideration by the Senate.
  • In Texas, the Hutto Independent School District has created a police department to match the district’s recent growth.  The department is requiring each officer have at least three years experience, and the new sergeant will have at least five years experience.
  • In Georgia, the Atlanta Public Schools is forming it own police force.  Officials announced that it is seeking sworn police officers and other personnel for its new in-house safety and security department.

Safety Law News for February 24, 2016

  • In Washington State, the schools in the Tri-Cities area of Pasco, Richland and Kennewick, report significantly fewer weapons on campus.  The good news is attributed to two things: the good presence of community oriented policing and utilizing a good security team within the building.
  • In Virginia, House Bill 1234 has been introduced.  If passed, it would allow school security officers, who are not active duty police, to carry firearms if they are retired law-enforcement officers serving with the local school board’s approval.