NCJ Number
165857
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1996) Pages: 26-31
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article suggests how school and police officials can work together to address violence in schools.
Abstract
Successful police/school partnerships begin with an administrative objective for the agencies involved. This objective is best understood when the parties agree to it in writing. The agreement might address such issues as the number of officers that will work in the schools and who will bear the cost for the resources. Further, students, as well as school staff, deserve to be protected with standards that require due process when they are victimized on school campuses. Local police officials deserve to know what crimes are committed on the school campuses in their jurisdiction. The level of student safety while at school can be greatly enhanced by consistent reporting standards. Regarding weapons in the schools, police should provide the schools with general information on the numbers and types of weapons being found on juveniles in the community. This is a general indication that such weapons are also likely to be in the possession of students while at school. Likewise, schools must notify police when a weapon is found on campus. Also, police should provide educators with guidelines on how to handle an individual who may be armed. Police should promulgate these guidelines through staff in-service programs that may be included as part of the police/school partnership. Moreover, as part of the police/school partnership, police should assist school administrators in developing a school safety plan, which should include a security needs assessment, school discipline data, and security audits. Police must view their role in countering school crime as consisting largely of crime prevention efforts. This includes being instrumental in the planning and implementation of crime prevention programs in the school.