Individual Trespassing at RMHS with a Weapon - January 24

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question I have is why RM always deals with RPD instead of MCPD, which has more resources and more expansive policing powers. ROD does property crimes in Rockville retail areas, but if this is related to drug sales or gang activity, it should be routed to MCPD.

Because Rockville is a city, and has Rockville PD.

Yes but MCPD still has primary jurisdiction for policing major crimes I believe. I’m not sure exactly where the work load is split (and would love to see the document if anyone has it), but in MD, the County PD (or sheriff office in counties with no county PD) is the plucking authority with general jurisdiction and any city departments are merely supplemental. It may be that they get faster response from RPD on “small” crimes like trespass — that’s why cities establish these city PDs. I just don’t know what the reasoning is, and I might like an explanation from the school and MCPD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like MCPS went above and beyond to handle this issue well as usual.

Can the MCPS lunatic loyalists give it a rest? Your pandering is delusional and obvious. Go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like MCPS went above and beyond to handle this issue well as usual.

No, I think MCPS did a good job informing parents after the event.

The Police did a good job finding the individual and arresting him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The access problems is that there are a lot of classes in the portables so unless kids hold the door open for other kids there isn’t an effective way to get from portable classrooms to your next class. If the kids have to walk all the way around to the front door they won’t make it to their next class.

But I think they will be moving to visible ID cards like WJHS does. Apparently it has worked well at WJ and would be an easy way for kids to know who is supposed to be allowed in building. More security guards at the doors would help too but that’s a more expensive fix (and also requires there to be people that are willing to do that job) so I’m not holding my breath. I also support bringing back and expanding the SRO program, and it would not surprise me if that happens, but MCPD is also wildly understaffed with massive recruitment problems so not clear they could even staff that program.
There’s no great answer for the fact that this country is awash in guns.

+ 1 RM parent

One reason I hate portables. So unsecure.

RM just added several more portables this year. They are here to stay and likely we will see more in the future.

You can thank our local politicians who have pushed so hard for more and more high density development in that area! We have even more kids coming to that cluster in the next 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like MCPS went above and beyond to handle this issue well as usual.

No, I think MCPS did a good job informing parents after the event.

The Police did a good job finding the individual and arresting him.

+1 I'm an RM parent. I'm satisfied with the communication, and how quickly they apprehended him, a 15 yr old btw. Gad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another question I have is why RM always deals with RPD instead of MCPD, which has more resources and more expansive policing powers. ROD does property crimes in Rockville retail areas, but if this is related to drug sales or gang activity, it should be routed to MCPD.

Maybe the Rockville PD also deals with gang/drug activity? I’m sure the MCPD and the RPD regularly work together, in any case.

I’m sure this incident, like the last one, was relayed to gangs/drugs. Clearly the trespasser was looking for someone in particular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question I have is why RM always deals with RPD instead of MCPD, which has more resources and more expansive policing powers. ROD does property crimes in Rockville retail areas, but if this is related to drug sales or gang activity, it should be routed to MCPD.

Maybe the Rockville PD also deals with gang/drug activity? I’m sure the MCPD and the RPD regularly work together, in any case.

I’m sure this incident, like the last one, was relayed to gangs/drugs. Clearly the trespasser was looking for someone in particular.

Or it could've been a social media dispute where one was mocking the other....or it could have been over a girl.

Teenagers fight over a lot of things. Some serious and some really stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like MCPS went above and beyond to handle this issue well as usual.

No, I think MCPS did a good job informing parents after the event.

The Police did a good job finding the individual and arresting him.

+1 I'm an RM parent. I'm satisfied with the communication, and how quickly they apprehended him, a 15 yr old btw. Gad.

The three boys who carjacked the lady at Rockville Town Center were only 14.

Any word on where the 15 year old was from? Gaithersburg HS again, or elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

We need to start being more open to weapon detection technologies in schools. I'd rather see this than those electric busses they spent a bunch of money on but could barely mobilize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question I have is why RM always deals with RPD instead of MCPD, which has more resources and more expansive policing powers. ROD does property crimes in Rockville retail areas, but if this is related to drug sales or gang activity, it should be routed to MCPD.

Maybe the Rockville PD also deals with gang/drug activity? I’m sure the MCPD and the RPD regularly work together, in any case.

I’m sure this incident, like the last one, was relayed to gangs/drugs. Clearly the trespasser was looking for someone in particular.

Or it could've been a social media dispute where one was mocking the other....or it could have been over a girl.

Teenagers fight over a lot of things. Some serious and some really stupid.

Also possible that this kid was there for a completely innocent purpose, but happened to have a gun on him because he regularly carries. The email said that he cooperated when stopped -- if he was there for something really nefarious, its somewhat more likely he would have run and figured he could outrun the cops. (Like the two kids from the other week did.)
Ideally, I would like more information from the school about what is causing these issues --- gang activity, drug sales, fights over interpersonal disputes like you stole my girl or you insulted my sister, bullying, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at RM. Also didn't hear about this until the email out, and she stays after school for an extracurricular activity.

I would like to know how this individual got INTO the school? AGAIN?? How are these people so easily gaining access to our schools?

People open doors for people. This is just basic human behavior. If your strategy depends on people not opening doors for people, your strategy will fail.

Fair enough. So, are we just resigned to the fact that anybody (adult or child) has access to our kids' schools? I guess that's the case, but our elementary school seems to do a great job of keeping people out who are not supposed to be there. One entrance and nobody can get in who isn't authorized. Also, we need to provide ID to be at the school. Is there anyway to do something similar at our high schools?

I mean, basically, yes? Unless you want to turn high schools into high-security fortresses. High schools are not elementary schools, and high school students are not elementary students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need to start being more open to weapon detection technologies in schools. I'd rather see this than those electric busses they spent a bunch of money on but could barely mobilize.

I think it will make kids even later to class (which is already a struggle given how congested the hallways are and how large th property is), and I'm not at all optimistic that they can find adequately trained staff to operate metal detectors effectively. Even the TSA has a shockingly high fail rate in locating guns in baggage -- and they are trained a lot more thoroughly, and have better equipment, than MCPS is going to get. I've talked to LEO that operate metal detectors and they say it is really not that easy and requires a trained eye -- it's not like in the movies where you see the outline of a gun against a stack of clothing.

See this article, which highlights how metal detectors are not necessary as easy as they seem:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595716.pdf

I favor bringing back SROs, increasing security especially at doors and bathrooms, and requiring visible display of picture ID cards --- but not metal detectors or closing the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The access problems is that there are a lot of classes in the portables so unless kids hold the door open for other kids there isn’t an effective way to get from portable classrooms to your next class. If the kids have to walk all the way around to the front door they won’t make it to their next class.

But I think they will be moving to visible ID cards like WJHS does. Apparently it has worked well at WJ and would be an easy way for kids to know who is supposed to be allowed in building. More security guards at the doors would help too but that’s a more expensive fix (and also requires there to be people that are willing to do that job) so I’m not holding my breath. I also support bringing back and expanding the SRO program, and it would not surprise me if that happens, but MCPD is also wildly understaffed with massive recruitment problems so not clear they could even staff that program.
There’s no great answer for the fact that this country is awash in guns.

+ 1 RM parent

One reason I hate portables. So unsecure.

RM just added several more portables this year. They are here to stay and likely we will see more in the future.

You can thank our local politicians who have pushed so hard for more and more high density development in that area! We have even more kids coming to that cluster in the next 5 years.

PP here.. I know. The MS was expanded a few years ago, and within like 2 years they reached capacity. Hopefully Crown HS will alleviate the overcrowding, but that is years away. My kids will be done with HS by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need to start being more open to weapon detection technologies in schools. I'd rather see this than those electric busses they spent a bunch of money on but could barely mobilize.

I think it will make kids even later to class (which is already a struggle given how congested the hallways are and how large th property is), and I'm not at all optimistic that they can find adequately trained staff to operate metal detectors effectively. Even the TSA has a shockingly high fail rate in locating guns in baggage -- and they are trained a lot more thoroughly, and have better equipment, than MCPS is going to get. I've talked to LEO that operate metal detectors and they say it is really not that easy and requires a trained eye -- it's not like in the movies where you see the outline of a gun against a stack of clothing.

See this article, which highlights how metal detectors are not necessary as easy as they seem:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595716.pdf

I favor bringing back SROs, increasing security especially at doors and bathrooms, and requiring visible display of picture ID cards --- but not metal detectors or closing the campus.

I appreciate your thoughtfulness here and I agree, this seems likes the right recommendation!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The access problems is that there are a lot of classes in the portables so unless kids hold the door open for other kids there isn’t an effective way to get from portable classrooms to your next class. If the kids have to walk all the way around to the front door they won’t make it to their next class.

But I think they will be moving to visible ID cards like WJHS does. Apparently it has worked well at WJ and would be an easy way for kids to know who is supposed to be allowed in building. More security guards at the doors would help too but that’s a more expensive fix (and also requires there to be people that are willing to do that job) so I’m not holding my breath. I also support bringing back and expanding the SRO program, and it would not surprise me if that happens, but MCPD is also wildly understaffed with massive recruitment problems so not clear they could even staff that program.
There’s no great answer for the fact that this country is awash in guns.

+ 1 RM parent

One reason I hate portables. So unsecure.

RM just added several more portables this year. They are here to stay and likely we will see more in the future.

You can thank our local politicians who have pushed so hard for more and more high density development in that area! We have even more kids coming to that cluster in the next 5 years.

Until Crown opens.