• In Florida, officials from the Clay County School District have issued a report on its three-year experiment with a school district police force. The details include an improvement in the school climate and a 79% decrease in school arrests. School officials state that, “it’s just amazing how quickly the SROs bond with these students.”
• In Maryland, the Montgomery County Council has enacted a bill intended to improve law enforcement transparency and accountability through community policing. Under the provisions of Bill 33-19, law enforcement must document use of force statistics, officer suspension information, the number of youths referred to intervention programs, and include mental health and positive youth development science into community policing training programs.
• In Massachusetts, the Gloucester Public Schools and Police Department are implementing the “Handle with Care” initiative to provide services to children who experience trauma. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, when a child is identified at a traumatic scene, an officer transmits a message to “Handle with Care” to the school. The school gives that child a safe person and space where they can receive support and counseling or other mental health services.
• In Idaho, legislators are debating Senate Bill 1384. The provisions of the legislation allow school district employees to carry a concealed weapon on school property, provided the school district employee maintains the weapon concealed and within their immediate control and provides a copy of their license to school officials who can also share the information with law enforcement.