Security concerns at Belleville High School
Security still seems to be a major issue at Belleville High School.
Paraprofessionals at the school said they have concerns with the security guards at the school and the way the school halls were patrolled last year. They also told school officials that they do not believe that security guards are the answer to disciplinary problems at the school.
School officials, however, like Assistant Principal Larry Warren, disagreed.
“The security guards are specially trained. They do initially walk the halls together, but then they split-up, meet-up later and discuss what they’ve seen,” Warren told the school board members at a recent meeting. “They’re visible in the halls and they don’t try to intimate the students, but they do try to get to know them.
“So I see the importance of them (security guards) at the school,” he added. “I would like to see it continue and also see the parapros continue to do what they’re trained for. The security guards know what to look for and time warrants we have them, we need that.”
School board members approved the request for two security guards at Belleville High School for the 2008-2009 school year. The proposal includes a start time of about 7 a.m. with work for a full school day, a copy of background checks, drug screening tests and, a condition that allows for the removal of any security personnel who is not following security procedures or who is acting in an unprofessional way.
Security guards will be responsible for: confirming proper passes of students in the hallways during class time, monitoring student behavior and actions during passing time, reporting any suspicious behavior to the administration, ensuring all visitors have appropriate passes and other duties. Coverage will include classrooms, hallways and the cafeteria. There will also be radio checks twice a day—once in the morning and afternoon—to make sure all radios are working properly, according to the proposal.
Bids are due at 2 p.m. on July 23 and will be publicly opened at the same time that day.
According to Belleville High School Principal Sheila Brown, the past security guards had about 250 hours of training in male/feminine issues, restraint and mainly conflict resolution.
“I recently got back from a security conference and I kept being asked how much security we have at the school and how many school resource officers we have,” she said. “There was not one other school that didn’t have a full-time school resource officer and security guards. People were shocked when I told them we didn’t, because at the time we didn’t.
“We school officials are the first responders, but we need all the help we can get,” she added.


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