Thursday, May 15, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Safety in numbers

School police, teachers, students say cutting cops would make campuses more dangerous

By Larry Wills

A small but determined crowd standing in the parking lot at Valley High School last week seemed out of place for a police press conference. There wasn't a uniform to be seen. Even an ROTC unit marching nearby was in civilian attire.

But the union members, students, teachers and officers from the Clark County School District police force--many carrying signs--had a stern message: Don't lay off campus cops. A parade of speakers warned that the schools' thin blue line is all that stands between education and a return to The Lord of the Flies.

"The mere presence of officers gives students security," said Phil Gervasi, president of the school district's police officer association. "We had three handgun incidents at one high school in three days."

Gervasi listed some sobering statistics on the culture of public education. Since Jan. 1, there have been nearly 500 battery incidents, not counting more than 200 "planned" fights. Forty-eight students were caught packing guns, while 72 had knives. More than 200 cases involved narcotics. Gervasi recalled one incident when "they took explosives out of a car. It was a homemade bomb." So far this year, 140 officers have dealt with 17,000 incidents, or about 1,000 a week.

The protest was intended to head off threatened budget cuts as the school district braces for hard times, thanks to the state Legislature's inability to agree on tax hikes. The Legislature has three weeks left in its 2003 session to boost taxes, with no consensus yet in sight.

Last week, the School Board reluctantly passed a doomsday budget, envisioning a $111 million shortfall if the Legislature doesn't come through. That budget could result in four-day school weeks, limited bus service and nearly 900 jobs lost. Children who used to ride buses would have to walk to school, classes would be larger and special programs for the gifted and to improve literacy would be axed.

The board did not address the future of school law enforcement last week. Nevertheless, supporters weren't taking any chances, since all education programs were on the table.

"The ultimate victims are our children," said Dean Ishman, president of the Law Enforcement Association of Nevada, a police retirees' group. "It's time to look for viable funding for the Clark County School District."

He warned that eliminating the school police would further drain already-strapped agencies such as Metro Police. "You'll take that away from the community," he said. "You'll take that away from people in need."

John Dean Harper, general counsel for the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said the choice involves whether students will feel safe in class. "If they're afraid, they're not in the proper learning environment. When did security become a luxury?"

Students and teachers agreed as they pleaded to keep the cops in the schools. Right now, two officers are assigned to each high school, and a pending grant will allow the department to staff middle schools with one officer each. Day and night patrols also are maintained, on call for trouble in other schools or protecting property after dark.

For Brandi Metz, security is not just a debate over money. The nine-year veteran is a training officer and has seen it all. "I've had a few close calls. You might call them heart-stopping situations."

She's convinced that without school officers, education would be more dangerous. And, she said, outside police departments can't understand what's happening when they're on call. School police are effective because they are always in the building and understand the students and what they're doing, she said.

As for cutbacks, Metz worries about her job. She also worries about her son who's in public school. "I may put my son in private school," she said.