1411

Community Relations

Law Enforcement Agencies

Schools have significant responsibility for students during school hours. This responsibility includes protecting each student’s constitutional rights, assuring due process in questioning and arrest, and protecting students from any form of illegal coercion. Because of the many support services that local law enforcement agencies provide to the schools, staff, and students, the Seymour Board of Education supports the best possible relationship with those agencies consistent with the system’s responsibilities to protect legal rights of staff and students.

This policy is intended to balance the needs of school and police officials. The reduction of ambiguity and confusion in how these officials interact will provide an optimal environment for education while ensuring that the public safety needs of the school and community are adequately met.

Interview of Students

Police interviews generally will not take place on school grounds. When police are investigating possible criminal acts which occurred, or may have occurred, on school property, or while under the jurisdiction of the school district, they may question students at school.  However, if the police do indicate that an interview on school grounds is necessary, school authorities may cooperate. When the interview involves a juvenile, a parent must generally be present, except as provided below. The exceptions to this rule are (a) if the student is being interviewed as a victim and/or (b) if there is an overriding immediate public safety concern. If a student under the age of 16 is being interviewed by the police and the parent/guardian cannot be present, a member of the school staff should be present.  Students will be questioned as confidentially and inconspicuously as possible.  An administrator or designee will call the parent/guardian to inform them of the situation in which their child was spoken to by a police officer.

When investigating a possible criminal violation occurring off school grounds or not part of a school program, police will be encouraged to question students in their homes; however, they may be permitted to question students in the schools when the procedures outlined above are observed. Police will make every attempt to minimize distractions or disruption of school routines during the performance of their duties.

Arrest of Students

The decision to call police and request an arrest is within the discretion of the building administrator. The building administrator may request the arrest of a student or there are times in which the police may request to pick up a student due to a warrant being issued for his/her arrest. If the building administrator agrees to assist in the arrest of a student, the student should be escorted from class by school personnel and remain in a secured office until the police arrive. The arrested student will be removed from the school in a way that minimizes embarrassment to the student and any disruption of the school routine.

Weapons

In cases where a student is suspected of carrying a dangerous weapon and there is a safety issue inherent in the search process, the student should be secured in a private area, if possible without escalating the safety issue for students or staff.  At the discretion of the administrator/designee the police may be contacted to conduct the search.

If a search is conducted by a school official and a weapon and/or ammunition is found, these items should be confiscated and weapons that are illegal should be turned over to the police immediately by the school official. Illegal weapons include, but are not limited to, knives with over a four-inch blade, dirk knives, switchblade knives, martial arts weapons and firearms. Weapons that are not illegal but are a violation of school policy may be retained by the building administrator

Designation of Authority

The Superintendent is authorized to develop procedures regarding this policy, including a process to ensure that appropriate staff has been informed, and to establish lines of communication with local law enforcement agencies to effect necessary cooperation toward ensuring the security of the school facilities, and the safety of students and staff.

(cf. 5145.12 Search/Seizure)

Legal Reference:   Connecticut General Statutes

10-221 Boards of Education to prescribe rules

53a-185 Loitering in our about school grounds: Class C Misdemeanor

54-76j Disposition upon adjudication as youthful offender

Policy adopted:  March 7, 2011


Community Relations

Relations with Law Enforcement Agencies

School Police Cooperation

This regulation is intended to balance the needs of school and police officials. The reduction of ambiguity and confusion in how these officials interact will provide an optimal environment for education while ensuring that the public safety needs of the school and community are adequately met.

The Seymour Board of Education recognizes that it is essential to cooperate with law enforcement agencies for the protection of staff and students, for maintaining a safe environment in the district schools and for safeguarding school property.

Programs and activities designed to enrich district curriculum and to develop and promote good citizenship and a healthy attitude toward law enforcement agencies and officials will be encouraged in the district.  Law enforcement participation in such programs and activities is encouraged.

At the same time, the Board also recognizes that the school system has the responsibility for the welfare of students while they are in the care of the schools.  To carry out this responsibility of the school district, school officials shall observe the following:

1.  A student is not immune from the law by virtue of his/her status as a student, nor is the school building a sanctuary from the law or the proper actions of law enforcement personnel.  Whenever the police have a search warrant or an arrest warrant, they shall be admitted in the exercise of their designated authority.

2.  In other situations, however, the interest of the individual, the students at large, and the school community may best be served by entrusting primary responsibility for the maintenance of order to school personnel.  The building administrator shall have authority, except as noted, to exclude the police from the school when police intervention is considered unwarranted.

Event Suggested Action

Vandalism, Breaking, Entering, and the like; police should be notified immediately. 

Alcohol, Drugs, etc.  The suspected drug or alcohol should be secured by an administrator and the police should be notified when appropriate. 

Loitering As long as the school grounds are posted, "no trespassing", warnings prior to arrest are not required. Notification of police and requests for arrest are within the discretion of the building administrator.

Confrontations Confrontations where students become involved in loud tumultuous behavior, but do not assault another, are a violation of the law and police can arrest for this behavior. The decision to call police and request an arrest is within the discretion of the building administrator.

Assaults  Physical altercations in which students are injured or pain has been inflicted upon another should be reported to the police as soon as practicable.

Weapons  Confiscated weapons that are illegal in themselves and ammunition should be photographed when possible and turned over to the police department immediately by the school official who seized same. This category of weapons includes knives with over a four inch blade, dirk knives, switch blade knives, martial arts weapons and guns. Ammunition should also be immediately turned over to the police. Any evidence or information relative to firearms in the school should be immediately relayed to the police. For weapons that are not illegal in themselves but are a violation of school policy; police notification in these instances are within the discretion of building administrator(s).

Bomb Scare Suspect Devices  Suspected devices should not be handled. The Superintendent's office and police should be notified. Police will notify the Fire Department. The building administrator will decide whether or not to evacuate, based on District emergency procedures. The administrator will notify the Superintendent of his/her decision.

Motor Vehicles, Parking Lots  Police routinely patrol parking lots and may arrest or summon individuals in said lots. Students involved in motor vehicle accidents in parking lots that result in personal injury or property damages are required to report same.

Police Interviews  Generally police interviews will not take place on school grounds. However, if the police indicate that an interview on school grounds is necessary, school authorities may cooperate with the request.

Police Interviews of Juveniles  When the interview involves a juvenile, the building administrator will usually arrange to have a parent present. The exceptions to this rule are (a) if the student is being interviewed as a victim and/or (b) if there is an overriding immediate public safety concern. If a student under the age of 16 is being interviewed by the police and the parent/guardian cannot be present, a member of the school staff should be present.

Extracurricular Activities  Police officials assigned to extracurricular activities shall report to the school administrator/designee to discuss appropriate monitoring procedures.

Arrest Warrants  There are times in which the police may decide to pick up a student due to a warrant being issued for his/her arrest. Once notified of an outstanding arrest warrant for a student, if the building administrator agrees to assist in the arrest of a student, the student should be escorted from class by school personnel and remain in a secured office until the police arrive. The arrested student will be removed from the school in a way that minimizes embarrassment to the student and any disruption of the school routine.

Search of Students  School officials may search students, bookbags, lockers, desks, and the like using the established "reasonable suspicion" standard. In cases where a student is suspected of carrying a dangerous weapon and there is a safety issue inherent in the search process itself, the student should be secured in an office.

Pursuant to statutory requirements, whenever the Superintendent receives oral or written notification from the local police department or state police that a student was arrested, he/she shall maintain the written report in a secure location and the information in the report shall be maintained as confidential in accordance with section Connecticut General Statute §46b-124. The Superintendent may disclose such information only to the Principal of the school in which the student is enrolled or the supervisory agent of any other school in which the student is enrolled.

The Principal or supervisory agent may disclose such information only to special service staff or a consultant, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker, for the purposes of assessing the risk of danger posed by the person, other student school employees or property and effectuating an appropriate modification of such person's educational plan or placement for disciplinary purposes. Such information with respect to a child under sixteen years of age shall be confidential in accordance with Connecticut General Statute §46b-124 and shall only be disclosed as provided in this section and shall not be further disclosed.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules.

10-233a through 10-233s  re student suspension, expulsion.

10-233g(b) Boards to report school violence.

10-233h Arrested students. Reports by police to the superintendent, disclosure, confidentiality.

17a-101 Protection of children from abuse.

17a-102 Report of danger of abuse.

46b-124 Confidentiality of records of juvenile matters. Exception

53-206c Sale, carrying and brandishing of facsimile firearms prohibited. Class B misdemeanor.

53a-185 Loitering in or about school grounds: Class C Misdemeanor.

Reports of principals to police authority.

New Jersey v T.L.O., 53 U.S.L.W. 4083 (1988), 469 U.S. 325; 105 S.CT 733.

54-76j Disposition upon adjudication as youthful offender.

Regulation approved:  March 7, 2011