School Security Committee: Don't Arm Teachers, Hire More Officers

If funding can be secured, the Cherokee County School Board should hire more officers for its School Police Department. 

That's one of several recommendations issued on Thursday by the Ad Hoc Safety & Security Committee to the school board during its work session. 

The committee, which was formed by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo, have recommended: 

• Consider hiring more officers for the police department; three officers would cost around $174,000; five would cost $346,000; and 10 would cost $808,000;
• Include in its 2014 Legislative Program the need for state funding for Safe School Initiatives;
• Press the Georgia General Assembly to restore $147.5 million in required Quality Basic Education, or QBE, funding earned by the district that's been cut due to austerity measures.
• Continue to seek funding from state, federal and private grants;
• Empower school administrators to collaborate with community stakeholders to find local funding sources;

The committee made it clear that it "opposes any legislation that would empower teachers or other designated school district staff — with the exception of certified police officers — to possess or carry a firearm on a secondary school campus."

Tell us: should Georgia legislators consider arming teachers and principals in 2014?

Other recommendations include adding additional camera systems at 13 schools, implementing a mass notification/panic alarm system at all district schools, utilize cellular back-up for alarm systems at 19 schools and three facilities, adding electronic access control systems at all schools and installing a glass access partitions in the entry ways at elementary schools. 

The committee, made up of parents, principals, upper-level district staff personnel and representatives from local law enforcement agencies, performed site visits to school facilities and campuses.

Those visits were used to give those on the committee an idea of what measures are already in place and what shortfalls could be detected. 

Security measures in place include:

• All high schools having a full-time uniformed officer assigned to the campus and additional officers assigned to middle schools, ACE Academy and Polaris Evening School. 
• A digital closed-circuit camera system installed at each middle and high school. 
• All schools and facilities have intrusion alarm systems and fire alarm systems that are monitored 24 hours per day. 
• All schools utilize emergency access capabilities through the use of a Knox-box system. 
• The majority of district employees wore identification badges at all times during site visits.  
• All schools have a visitor check-in process and requires visitors to wear badges;

Some of the "concerns" the security team noted were:

• "Inconsistent" placement of so-called Safe School signs, such as weapons notices.
• Parking and other directional signage was often "worn, rusted or faded."
• The fencing that separated school campuses from surrounding neighborhoods was "sometimes lacking or in need of repair."
• Fencing, balustrades, benches or planters used to limit access to or create barriers for open areas was "sometimes lacking."
• Location of portable classrooms "does not always enable natural surveillance."
• Multiple access and egress points to buildings are generally locked, controlled and supervised by school staff.
• Entry doors for older schools not controlled by electronic software. 

While the committee did issue the recommendations, Cherokee School District Police Chief Mark Kissel noted there's "no panacea" to prevent incidents on school campuses.

Also, Petruzielo noted the district gets no money from the state that could be used to safety and security measures. If the school board chose to hire additional officers or implement some of other measures, they'd have to look elsewhere for the money.

"There would have to be some new revenue stream to be able to deal with that," he added.