Schools, Law Enforcers Discuss Campus Violence
The false alarms, rumors and bomb threats at high school campuses have calmed down since the April 20 shooting deaths in Littleton, Colo. But the fears have not.
On Tuesday, school officials met with law enforcement agencies to take a realistic look not only at the potential for violence but at the violence that already occurs on campus.
“We’ve not felt a need to talk about what to do if there is a shooting on campus,” said Saddleback Valley Unified School District Supt. Peter A. Hartman. “Now we see the need.”
The meeting at Mission Viejo High School was attended by 120 school administrators, sheriff’s deputies and probation officers as well as Orange County Dist. Atty. Anthony J. Rackauckas.
Rackauckas said several more meetings will follow. He gave school officials information about juvenile offenses and how they are prosecuted.
The meeting, which was closed to the public, was planned before the Littleton shootings. But the tragedy has created a stronger sense of urgency surrounding school safety, officials said.
“In the past we looked at our schools as sort of safe havens--no one believed these types of crimes would happen on campus. But now we know it can,” said Laguna Beach Police Chief Jim Spreine.
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