• In Oregon, schools are battling a growing trend of teens using vapor-based tobacco products, or “vaping” on campuses. Vaping has become so commonplace among teens; Oregon students and teachers say it happens on campuses and right in the classroom.
• In Alabama, Senate Bill 255 has become law. Its provisions allow retired law enforcement officers to become armed school security personnel. The new school-based officers do not have to be certified by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission, as is currently required of school resource officers.
• In Illinois, the mayor of Chicago renewed her threat to remove police officers from public schools on the heels of a blistering audit that accused the Chicago Police Department of continuing to operate the program without oversight and training.
• In New Mexico, the Rio Arriba County school resource officer, who tased an Española Valley High School student in the chest three times, never completed any of the training required for a school resource officer (SRO) in the Española School District. The school superintendent said any future agreement with law enforcement will require officers to be trained before being placed on school campuses.
• In New Hampshire, the Hudson Police Department is deploying a canine – a 14-week-old female yellow lab – to bring ease and comfort to students on campus. A middle school resource officer will be the dog’s primary handler.