Alexandria City Council to end SRO program at ACPS

[Anonymous]

The mayor and friends didn't get what they (Chapman & Hutchings included) wanted on adult housing on school grounds. They were all so enthusiastic about housing on school grounds at the Alexandria Housing Summit in January of 2020. It was really cute.

So this is probably payback for the SB voting against housing at MH. And the heavy lobbying from the Tenants and Workers Union didn't hurt either. They were really well organized & really active on this last fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and personally, I’ve worked with good SRO’s (or at least not bad ones) but I can’t lie, I hate the optics of having a COP in our school. It just sucks. We aren’t a prison. We don’t need LEO there and it is deeply uncomfortable for some kids. I agree they shouldn’t be in schools.

Why is there no middle ground or more creative thinking than yes SROs or no SROs? Why do SROs have to be in full police uniform (though i believe SROs can serve to build relationsihps and trust between students and the police)? If the uniform is so intimidating, make them plain clothes officers. Give them some roles in the school that foster a positive image and foster positive relationships with the kids, especialy the at-risk kids (helping out in classrooms, an after-school club, helping out in PE classes, whatever.

My 13 y/o daughter brought this topic up recently and she thinks it's stupid to get rid of them.

it's the police powers that are intimidating. They can elevate school disciplinary problems to criminal justice problems on a whim. Hire security guards without police powers and have principals willing to call the real police when it's necessary

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child with giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and personally, I’ve worked with good SRO’s (or at least not bad ones) but I can’t lie, I hate the optics of having a COP in our school. It just sucks. We aren’t a prison. We don’t need LEO there and it is deeply uncomfortable for some kids. I agree they shouldn’t be in schools.

Why is there no middle ground or more creative thinking than yes SROs or no SROs? Why do SROs have to be in full police uniform (though i believe SROs can serve to build relationsihps and trust between students and the police)? If the uniform is so intimidating, make them plain clothes officers. Give them some roles in the school that foster a positive image and foster positive relationships with the kids, especialy the at-risk kids (helping out in classrooms, an after-school club, helping out in PE classes, whatever.

My 13 y/o daughter brought this topic up recently and she thinks it's stupid to get rid of them.

it's the police powers that are intimidating. They can elevate school disciplinary problems to criminal justice problems on a whim. Hire security guards without police powers and have principals willing to call the real police when it's necessary

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child without giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and personally, I’ve worked with good SRO’s (or at least not bad ones) but I can’t lie, I hate the optics of having a COP in our school. It just sucks. We aren’t a prison. We don’t need LEO there and it is deeply uncomfortable for some kids. I agree they shouldn’t be in schools.

Why is there no middle ground or more creative thinking than yes SROs or no SROs? Why do SROs have to be in full police uniform (though i believe SROs can serve to build relationsihps and trust between students and the police)? If the uniform is so intimidating, make them plain clothes officers. Give them some roles in the school that foster a positive image and foster positive relationships with the kids, especialy the at-risk kids (helping out in classrooms, an after-school club, helping out in PE classes, whatever.

My 13 y/o daughter brought this topic up recently and she thinks it's stupid to get rid of them.

it's the police powers that are intimidating. They can elevate school disciplinary problems to criminal justice problems on a whim. Hire security guards without police powers and have principals willing to call the real police when it's necessary

That makes sense. But I wouldn't trust a security guard to handle the types of things SROs may be needed to handle. It's not just monitoring a metal detector on the way in or making sure kids are where they're supposed to be. I think maybe what people are looking for is something in between a security guard and a police officer.

[Anonymous]

I would prefer unarmed security guards. That is what my public high school in NYC had, years ago. They did help students in danger on several occasions (my school had a fair amount of issues with Asian gangs).

[Anonymous]

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child with giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

That's a legitimate fear, but on the other hand, as a parent of a student with disabilities that often affect his social interactions with others, I would like the school to have unarmed security officers, vs. armed police officers, to protect him in the event that he is a target.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child with giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

That's a legitimate fear, but on the other hand, as a parent of a student with disabilities that often affect his social interactions with others, I would like the school to have unarmed security officers, vs. armed police officers, to protect him in the event that he is a target.

I agree. ACPS removing SROs does not mean it will not have unarmed security officers (which they have already in all schools to my knowledge).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and personally, I’ve worked with good SRO’s (or at least not bad ones) but I can’t lie, I hate the optics of having a COP in our school. It just sucks. We aren’t a prison. We don’t need LEO there and it is deeply uncomfortable for some kids. I agree they shouldn’t be in schools.

Why is there no middle ground or more creative thinking than yes SROs or no SROs? Why do SROs have to be in full police uniform (though i believe SROs can serve to build relationsihps and trust between students and the police)? If the uniform is so intimidating, make them plain clothes officers. Give them some roles in the school that foster a positive image and foster positive relationships with the kids, especialy the at-risk kids (helping out in classrooms, an after-school club, helping out in PE classes, whatever.

My 13 y/o daughter brought this topic up recently and she thinks it's stupid to get rid of them.

it's the police powers that are intimidating. They can elevate school disciplinary problems to criminal justice problems on a whim. Hire security guards without police powers and have principals willing to call the real police when it's necessary

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child with giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

I understand & agree with this fear. Has this happened in Alexandria? Is that the operating procedure at at ACPS schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and personally, I’ve worked with good SRO’s (or at least not bad ones) but I can’t lie, I hate the optics of having a COP in our school. It just sucks. We aren’t a prison. We don’t need LEO there and it is deeply uncomfortable for some kids. I agree they shouldn’t be in schools.

Why is there no middle ground or more creative thinking than yes SROs or no SROs? Why do SROs have to be in full police uniform (though i believe SROs can serve to build relationsihps and trust between students and the police)? If the uniform is so intimidating, make them plain clothes officers. Give them some roles in the school that foster a positive image and foster positive relationships with the kids, especialy the at-risk kids (helping out in classrooms, an after-school club, helping out in PE classes, whatever.

My 13 y/o daughter brought this topic up recently and she thinks it's stupid to get rid of them.

it's the police powers that are intimidating. They can elevate school disciplinary problems to criminal justice problems on a whim. Hire security guards without police powers and have principals willing to call the real police when it's necessary

Exactly, police (including SROs) have the power to arrest students and use the students’ statements against them in a criminal trial (or other legal proceeding). As a special needs student parent, I am afraid ACPS staff (especially ACPS security) will involve APD (including a SRO when my child enters middle school) in a disciplinary issue and interrogated my child with giving me notice to make sure my child’s rights are protected.

I understand & agree with this fear. Has this happened in Alexandria? Is that the operating procedure at at ACPS schools?

Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.

[Anonymous]

I understand & agree with this fear. Has this happened in Alexandria? Is that the operating procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.

That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I understand & agree with this fear. Has this happened in Alexandria? Is that the operating procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.

That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.

Thanks. It was an APD officer who was not a SRO.

[Anonymous]

procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.


That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.


Thanks. It was an APD officer who was not a SRO.

That's insane. My son's friend was assaulted by other kids at Maury, and APS was NOT called. I am guessing that whatever the incident that led the police to be called for your disabled child was LESS serious than that, not more. Unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.


That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.


Thanks. It was an APD officer who was not a SRO.

That's insane. My son's friend was assaulted by other kids at Maury, and APS was NOT called. I am guessing that whatever the incident that led the police to be called for your disabled child was LESS serious than that, not more. Unacceptable.

Why would the police be called because a couple 8 year olds had a shoving match?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.


That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.


Thanks. It was an APD officer who was not a SRO.

That's insane. My son's friend was assaulted by other kids at Maury, and APS was NOT called. I am guessing that whatever the incident that led the police to be called for your disabled child was LESS serious than that, not more. Unacceptable.

Why would the police be called because a couple 8 year olds had a shoving match?

if my daughter was a victim and didn't fight back, I'd personally call the police if it was an ongoing issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

procedure at at ACPS schools?


Yes - my elementary age special needs child was interrogated by a APD officer when at school without ACPS providing us actual notice. ACPS’ actions did violate school policy.


That's awful. Was it an SRO, or an APD officer that was not an SRO? Our ACPS elementary did not have an SRO.


Thanks. It was an APD officer who was not a SRO.

That's insane. My son's friend was assaulted by other kids at Maury, and APS was NOT called. I am guessing that whatever the incident that led the police to be called for your disabled child was LESS serious than that, not more. Unacceptable.

Why would the police be called because a couple 8 year olds had a shoving match?

My child allegedly made a threatening statement to a fellow student who we later discovered had been bullying him. Before the police interrogation, the Vice Principal had determined my son’s statement was a transient threat and my son had been permitted to return to class. My son was pulled out of class for the interrogation.