BLOOMFIELD, MI -- Officials with the Bloomfield Hills Schools and Bloomfield Township Police Department are working on a new arrangement that they say will help improve security management and communications in all buildings across the district.
The two entities will together create a new school security officer position that will assume several duties currently executed by individual building administrators. Superintendent Rob Glass said the idea developed out of the security meetings he attended and public feedback he received following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT.
"After using this terrible crisis as a moment to reflect, I believe this is an investment we need to make to ensure the highest level of security," Glass told BHS school board members earlier this month.
The position, which will likely be funded largely by the district, would oversee all security operations on more than dozen BHS properties across the Bloomfield area. Though details are still to be determined, the officer will also have school-related duties over the summer while students are out.
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The district listed a summary of anticipated tasks in a letter to parents Thursday:
- Conducting an immediate review of our existing procedures, identify areas for improvement and help make those improvements.
- Providing ongoing training and drills for staff, students and parents at each building.
- Monitoring security on a rotating basis across the district, making sure buildings are secure and procedures are being followed as intended.
- Providing a visible security presence within the district.
- Proactively communicating with our two existing Police Liaison Officers and other area law enforcement to stay apprised of any potential threats that may arise.
Glass said that while he's assured the buildings are safe and good security plans are in place, he believes this position will help ensure the execution of those plans in a crisis would be flawless.
"You can have the best plans on paper, but if (those executing the plans) would slip at all then they’re not nearly as effective," he said. "We do need to make sure that the plans that we have are executed with the highest level of fidelity we could possibly manage."
Different than a liaison
Bloomfield Twp. Police Capt. Steve Cook said this new security position would work differently and in concert with the department's current school liaisons. Those officers, currently housed at Andover and Lahser high schools, work on specific, school-related investigations or problems in all BHS buildings in the township.
Cook said he and others looked at nearby departments, but couldn't find an existing model for what they hope to accomplish with the new position. He said envisions the liaison positions remaining under the new arrangement, and that they will not supervised by the security officer. There is currently no timeline for when the position would start, and Cook aid the department will interview candidates for the new position and try to find the best fit.
"We want someone entrusted with this responsibility to be enthusiastic about doing this type of thing," he said. "The Sandy Hook tragedy shook the nation to its core, and kids that go to school, from a young age to the oldest ones, deserve to be safe."
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theoaklandpress.com/news/local_news/ I learned from her article that the school district currently "splits" the two current school liaison officers salary with Bloomfield Township. Really? What is the ratio of that split? What is the dollar amount of revenue to the Township? Does the school district also share the future costs for retiree health benefits and pensions for those officers? The OP article stated that the school district may have the new hire in place before the end of the year. The article also says the new hire will work for the township during the summer months. No thank you. The Township has enough police officers. It is also interesting that the Community Partnership Committees that the BHSD has in place...wasn't even asked to discuss this issue before all this decision. Where was this discussion in the Township. Not all issues need to go before the public for discussion, but when the entities are reacting to a tragic event and searching for solutions to any potential problems here, it would be beneficial to include the people affected (the public) in the brainstorming and discussions for solutions. Our elected and hired representatives seem to be quick to spend our tax dollars. My opinion.
http://www.downtownpublications.com/Articles-education-c-2013-01-25-214579.112113-Bloomfield-Hills-schools-hires-police-officer.html "01/25/2013 - Bloomfield Hills Schools has entered into an agreement with Bloomfield Township police to provide a school security officer, whose role will be to enhance school safety." A DONE DEAL ALREADY? OFFICES AT TWP ARE ALWAYS CLOSED ON FRIDAYS. That is something that needs to be changed also ! "Bloomfield Hills Schools Communications Director Shira Good said the district will share the cost of hiring the officer, who is a Bloomfield Township police detective. The district is anticipated to pay for the costs of the officer during the school year, with the police department picking up the remainder of the salary." THE TWP AND BHS ALREADY KNOW WHO IS HIRED?
Please take a look at this article: http://ppemichigan.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/police-weigh-in-on-armed-guards-in-schools/
"Shira Good, spokeswoman for Bloomfield Hills schools, said the officer will be armed and will patrol the schools on a regular basis." Is that what parents want? One armed officer for multiple buildings...spread miles apart...? "Good, for example, said the Bloomfield Hills district will pay for the amount of time the officer spends in the schools, and it's likely the officer will be at detective grade." OK...Township taxpayers... BHSD will pay for his TIME? This officer will need a vehicle and gas to go from building to building throughout BHSD. Who will pay for that? Who will pay for his uniforms/training/health benefits/pension/insurance? Who made this decision and when? Township taxpayers that are ALSO in the BHSD will pay for this multiple times over: once in your school taxes and once in your general property taxes and for the FOUR dedicated public safety millages and a special ten year general obligation millage. Check out the budget: http://www.bloomfieldtwp.org/Government/Budget.htm If the school wants to hire security ... do ALL OF IT WITH BHSD DOLLARS. Township taxpayers have a well equipped and trained police patrol team able to respond quickly to any emergency to all the schools located within our borders. WE DON'T NEED TO HIRE MORE !
Since SCHOOL districts are a DIFFERENT taxing authority than the municipality, they should use THEIR tax collected money to pay for services they feel are needed for their benefit. Yes, protecting children is important. The township police already do that daily as part of their regular duties. Another officer is not needed for Bl. Twp. Therefore, If the school DISTRICT wants special SECURITY evaluations and a watchman circulating between the schools, there are security firms they can hire with their own tax dollars. Often, those firms hire well qualified retired police officers. By the way... my pocketbook should not be used for someone else's financial responsibilities.
"As the wife of a 26 year law enforcement vetern working ..." -by Sailgirl So...do you know the issue in Michigan....? Let the BHSD school district hire a police officer or security firm needed for their SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE... I just want the RESPONSIBLE PARTY to PAY the ENTIRE costs for that hire. In this case, it should be the SCHOOL DISTRICT...all of it.