HomeMy WebLinkAbout6. PAISD SAFETY/SECURITY COM.POLICE DEPARTMENT
PORT ARTHUR
TO: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager
FROM: Colonel Mark Blanton
DATE: May 23, 2002
Ix] FOX' your ixl£orma, tion
[ ] Fox come--'et & recommendation
[ ] File £or :future xe:fe~ence
[ ] Please ~4s~uos w~.'ch me
Please take appropriate ac'cion
Please reply on my behalf
Please return
City's Involvement in the PA/SD Safety and Security Co~mittea
In Novm~er of 2001, I was contacte~ ~ PAISD and asked to serve
es a m--~er of the PA/SD Safety and Security C0~mittee. My name
had been sul~aitted b~ Constable Eddie Collins. Chief Tyler was
informed of the request for m~ participation. My participation
was an advisor~ one. I found out that Fire Marshall Mulliner was
also to serve on the Coam~ittee in an advisor~ position.
The first meeting was held Dec--w~er 5, 2001. There are
approximately 20 members on the c~4ttee. The ocm~nittee
membership reflects all area of a school operation (this include~
janitors, m~intenance workers, teachers, nurses, cafeteria staff,
a~ministratora, etc.) Only two are city employees. The coawaittee
met again on the following dates, Jan 9, Feb. 6, March 27, April
8 April 23 and May 16~. I had to send Lt. Balsams and Sgt.
Marshall to some meetings, as I was unable to make them. No
officer attended the May 16~ Meeting.
We were asked to review the school district's safety plan at the
first meeting. This plan covers eye,thing from bomb threats, to
tornados, to school shootings and fires. Suggestions were made
by m~self and the Fire Dept. on how the school district could
better respond to the situations, as each requires a response
fro~ the Fire Dept. and Police Dept.
Our advice was also sought on how to respond or prevent violence
at the new High School. Suggestions were mede such as student ID
cord, campus security such as cameras and electronic doors,
i-.~.roved attends-ce records, proper areas of evacuation, etc. No
c~wltment of manpower was ever mede. The school district pays
officer's off-duty to provide security. I pointed out and made
clear that the officers duties were to enforce the law not school
rules. This was agreed readily agreed upon.
The Fire Dept. and Police Dept. infozmed the c~ttee of the
resources available to a response at the school such as bo~b
sniffing dogs, the Fire Cc~-nd post, the SWAT Team in case of a
shooting or hostage situation, the drug dog etc.
Basically the Cc~ tree was told how we would respond to
situations if they arose and what we needed the school district
to do to _~ke our job easier.
The only ~m~ c~tment made was that the assistant principals,
s=pport specialists and coaches could be instructed in a one day
four hour block of non-confrontational tactics to handle
students. This training would inform them of ways to handle
students until the police arrive or Possibly not even having to
call the police or cause us to be involved. This same training
time would ~e used to teach these same people what the police
de~t. will require of them should an incident take place so that
the police dept. can do their job. This was discussed at a
separate meeting on May 144 that included Dr. Freelow, Janet
Kline and Ivan Jones.
No city funds will be utilized in any of the above.
Colonel Mark Blanton
Assistant Chief of Police