More Police to Patrol Locke High After Melee

School district police will assign more officers to Alain Leroy Locke High School in South Los Angeles, the scene of a lunchtime brawl this month, officials said at a community meeting Tuesday night.

Officer Larry Manion told nearly 100 parents, students, staff and residents in the school library that a patrol team will monitor the area around the school daily, while two officers will be on campus. In addition, two detectives will be assigned to investigate and prevent crimes at Locke.

“It’s a daunting task, especially with our limited resources,” Manion said. “It has been very difficult with all of our schools to provide you with the service you deserve, and for that I apologize.”

Principal L. Gail Garrett told the audience that the brawl erupted after a fight during lunch on April 11. Several people who are not students at the school had come onto campus with weapons, she said.

“Some names were called, some feelings were hurt, and it escalated,” she said. “It separated along racial lines, although that’s not the way it started.”

A melee involving nearly 300 students lasted for about 10 minutes. At least eight students were injured, none seriously, she said.

Six people were arrested, three of whom are students, school police said. Eleven students were suspended, and four were transferred to other schools. Parents told administrators at the meeting that the school should do more to ease racial tensions between African American and Latino students. Others recommended installing metal detectors.

Carlyn Real, 15, a sophomore at Locke, said she saw friends with bloody noses and head gashes who had been struck by thrown chairs during the brawl.

She also saw students with guns, knives and bats.