Things To Know About...

SAFETY AND SECURITY

QUESTION: How are our schools protected?
ANSWER: The District’s police department, SIU, is comprised of 20 sworn officers. The officers handle personnel cases and act as special responders for school emergencies and provide security services to District-sponsored events. The police officers in schools are part of the District’s School Resource Deputy (SRD) program and are not employees of BCPS, rather they work for the agency that employs them. Many agencies are cutting officers assigned to schools due to their own budget cuts.

QUESTION: What safety initiatives does the District have in place?
ANSWER: In July of 2008, Broward County Public Schools approved the first school district Anti-Bullying Policy in Florida, a policy which has become a model for the state’s other 66 school systems. The policy was developed prior to the passage of House Bill 669, which mandates that all districts in the state adopt Anti-Bullying policies by December 1, 2008. The Anti-Bullying Policy sets forth guidelines for the identification and reporting of bullying – as the overall goal of the initiative is the protection of students and their increased feelings of safety and belonging. The policy requires teachers and staff to utilize a variety of prevention and intervention activities and includes tools and resources that create environments of safety and respect and expectations of appropriate behavior.

In April of 2010, the District announced its efforts to step-up its “Silence Hurts” campaign, designed to empower students and others to prevent acts of bullying and violence. The District produced a video reminding students and District staff that they can report suspicious activity and remain completely anonymous. The video will be broadcast throughout schools and the District’s website.

The District is producing “You Have the Power to Make a Difference – Use It!” posters with information for reporting suspicious activity to the Tip Line (754-321-0911), E-mail address (school911@browardschools.com) and text message to CRIMES (274637) are being posted in all schools and BCPS facilities and sites. Through morning announcements and newsletters, schools are reminding students to tell an adult what’s going on and to help keep schools safe by sharing information about potentially dangerous situations. Schools are also reviewing and sharing a variety of prevention programs, resources, activities and intervention strategies with students, teachers, staff and community members.

QUESTION: With recent budget cuts affecting the District’s School Resource Deputy Program, how does BCPS plan on maintaining a high level of security within its schools?
ANSWER: Due to budget cuts within the school system and among local law enforcement agencies, the District has seen a reduction in the number of its on-campus School Resource Deputies – from 167 in 2006/07 to 126 in 2009/10. Despite the decrease in overall number, the District has maintained a strong police security presence in its schools. In 2009/10, 217 schools received SRD support, the same number of schools the District covered in 2006/07. There is SRD presence in all District middle and high schools, while SRDs rotate among neighborhood elementary schools.