On school district security

If the chief of police and sheriff created a School Resource Officer Division in their respective departments, officers could be assigned to schools and all a school would need would be to provide an office.

Funds could be diverted to the law enforcement organization from the schools to accomplish this.

Putting a “mini” police department under the control of a school superintendent or school board is not wise. Neither have had experience in policing. They do not know about training, training records, procedures, etc. Many want to create their own procedures and keep the bad kids in the school and not make the “stats.” Superintendents want to have smooth ride during their tenure. Some want to have their own ISD to keep up with the Jones.

Properly conducted and calibrated training is the most important aspect lacking in small agencies. This is the biggest deficiency in multiple, uncontrolled departments doing their own thing. Remember the SFA University Police Department Chief and Deputy Chief who were pushed out. They had issues.

Further, you need not look any further than Uvalde. They had an ISD police department and see what happened there.

I know of some agencies in Texas who are proposing putting a SWAT officer in each school along with a Guardian program. Guardian programs are armed teachers and staff who can cover when the officer is not there, stabilize incidents and provide life saving first aid before first responders arrive.

I look around and not much is being done in Texas after Uvalde. It will not get fixed unless citizens and parents push to get it fixed. We have lots of law enforcement around the area, but calibration of training and tactics is a problem.

Paul Howe

Nacogdoches