People Need to Be Informed
It is important to understand that the safety of our children depends on education. If parents teach their kids about safety, they should be fine. Our school have a safety management (codes) in place in case of extreme situations. I know that sometimes the parent is to blame for what their children do, but who do we blame when the criminal is an adult?
There is a lot of money being spent on school police. There are just as many police officers in the school district as there is in the city of Edinburg. Is this saying that there are more criminals in our schools than there is in the city? In speaking to parents from Weslaco and McAllen, I have been asked if our students are so bad that we need so many police officers. What this means is too many police officers is making our students and schools look bad.
I am a parent and a tax payer. I don't see how having patrol officers can keep our children safe. During day, some go home to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at night. They use the units to do this. Some take the units home regardless of how far they live and even keep the units for the weekend. If they are taking the units because they are on call, how is that going to keep our students safe? We are paying their salary and their gas.
Are we supposed to pay them also if they are on call? Also our students are not necessarily safe with some of the officers because some have been caught DWI. The department has had several sexual harassments. I would like to see the background checks of some of the police officers and conduct drug and alcohol testing because they are carrying weapons, driving vehicles, and transporting students.
I think our students will be safer if the officers are on campus. In case of an extreme situations, I am sure other agencies would respond to assist.
In regards to the incidents that happened at night, which was one? two? or three? I would say we do not need night patrol because they only ride around the school and they don't get down to check the schools. In the incident at North, if the officer(s) would have checked the school efficiently, everything should had been cleared way before the staff and students arrived in the morning.
The incident at Freddy Gonzalez happened during the early hours of the day. Where was patrol? If an officer would have been at the school already, this could have been prevented.
I am not politically inclined, but if the school board and the superintendent are trying to do away with police to save the district money go for it. Some districts have done it, and some have reduced the number of police officers. We need more classrooms, teachers, and schools. I am sure that there can be another solution to protect our schools from the outside.
Final Statement: The officers should not have to give their input. Their chief should have already spoken on their behalf and given enough proof as to why patrol is needed. Perhaps he couldn't show enough work productivity, or he is too busy fighting his own battles.
