Calif. District Votes to Hire Police for Extracurricular Events

In June, the San Jose Unified School District in San Jose, Calif., voted to end its school officer resource program. Police officers will no longer be present on campus during regular school hours when students return to classes next week. However, on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 12, the board voted to hire off-duty SJPD officers as security for extracurricular activities and events on campus. The vote was unanimous; however, reactions among parents and the larger community were mixed.

The June decision to remove SJPD officers from campus came without any suggestions or plans for a replacement security presence on campus. It also went against the input of superintendents and principals district-wide. “I made a mistake as board president on June 24,” said Board of Education President Brian Wheatley. “Once the vote was over—because the staff recommended continuing the SRO program [but] the board voted no—what I should have done is said, ‘Okay, colleagues, we need to spend some time now talking and giving directions to staff about the rationale behind it and next steps.’”

The decision to continue the relationship with SJPD proved controversial among parents. “We thought it was no police on campus as of June 24,” said Crystal Calhoun of the San Jose Unified Equity Coalition. “Because when you have a school district where there are more police officers on campus than counselors, you know, what is the real message you are sending to the students?” he later added.

Wheatley said he had considered but dismissed the idea of hiring private security. “Someone asked me why not have security guards,” he said. “Nothing against security guards, but my understanding is they don’t have the training, experience, knowledge.”

According to local news, the agreement runs through the end of the calendar year. The board plans to revisit the decision at another meeting before December. Trustees will also reconsider whether to bring officers back to campus during the school day, or to continue partnering with them for security at large school events like graduations and football games. In the meantime, staff have been tasked with researching the decisions that surrounding school districts have made.

According to local news, school districts in Oakland and San Francisco have also removed police presence from schools—but in favor of building up restorative justice plans and building up non-police response programs like interventions and counseling. The Fremont school board voted to end its school resource officer program and reversed its decision shortly after.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at MJones@1105media.com

Featured

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now