Do Fairfax County middle schools have a police officer? (Springfield: 2013, how much)

[michgc]

Do middle schools in FCPS have a police officer (or security guard) on duty there all day? I am just curious. Thanks!

[CaliTerp07]

Mine does, yes.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

Mine does, yes.

Thank you, CaliTerp.

[Yankeesfan]

"There are 54 school resource officers (SROs) at Fairfax County schools, including one posted at every middle and high school."

Fairfax County police officer details daily beat at Westfield High School - The Washington Post

[tarp]

Yes, the police state is in full swing in Fairfax County with a cop in every school.

[car54]

Wow, I was looking at the list of SROs and even TJ has one!

What kind of stuff could go down at TJ....a taekwondo melee in the computer lab maybe?

[sullyguy]

Originally Posted by car54

Wow, I was looking at the list of SROs and even TJ has one!

What kind of stuff could go down at TJ....a taekwondo melee in the computer lab maybe?

SROs are nice, sociable police officers - not sure how much they protect the schools as serve as info conduits back to HQ on what's going on with youth - they're right there so probably get all sorts of "good info" regularly, even from TJ students.

One thing that's pretty STUPID, however, about school "security" is the stupid sign-in kiosks that probably costs hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more!) to put into at least some of the schools. You have to let the kiosk scan your drivers license so something can look you up and confirm you're harmless. Since they have the WHOLE drivers license to work with, one would think that's pretty cool and useful...nope - I got identified as some sort of badguy from North Dakota or something. It's not clear (since I didn't pursue it other than to get upset at the time) what info the kiosk used but I seriously doubt my full name matched some bad guy from North Dakota. I got the Heads Up when the receptionist at the school tiredly asked if I had recently been in North Dakota after I scanned my DL...she'd obviously seen the false positives so many times she was simply tired of them - and, without further ado, she overode the findings of the kiosk's database - gosh, what value!

I wonder what sort of personal information security hole those things are, too. WHere does our info go, who keeps it secure and who ARE they?

And I wonder what totally-unthinking individual (or committee) thought those kiosks were in any way increasing school security (regardless what level of government decided they were a Good Thing).

Stupid total waste of money.

Unlike the SROs, IMHO, who probably don't significantly enhance school security either but probably provide a valuable service to the community none-the-less.

[to the person talking about a police state - no, you've got it wrong - having an officer "on the beat" really IS a Good Thing - they get to know the "feel" of a "neighborhood" and provide a known contact point to the community therein, including school communities; I've always been in favor of cops walking a beat and KNOWING the neighborhood and neighbors...things I'm NOT in favor of are cameras everywhere, unwarranted searches, etc - THOSE are signs of a police state. But a "local cop" certainly isn't that]

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by car54

Wow, I was looking at the list of SROs and even TJ has one!

What kind of stuff could go down at TJ....a taekwondo melee in the computer lab maybe?

TJ's SRO is not for the students. He's there because of (some of) the parents.

Irving Middle School in Springfield had an outstanding SRO and a non-police security person when my student was there. They definitely contributed to the environment in a positive way.

[car54]

Originally Posted by sullyguy

SROs are nice, sociable police officers - not sure how much they protect the schools as serve as info conduits back to HQ on what's going on with youth - they're right there so probably get all sorts of "good info" regularly, even from TJ students.

Oh yeah, as a FCPS bus driver, I have had many, many contacts with SROs....they board buses frequently.

[michgc]

Thanks for the info., everyone!