Interim Superintendent Dr. Chad Hammit and Fullerton Police Chief John Radus reviewed Fullerton School District’s (FSD) partnership with the Fullerton Police Department and the policy protocols that prioritize student and staff safety. FSD protocols emphasize prevention, quick response, and recovery to return situations to normal after incidents.

Dr. Hammitt said that in the event of an emergency, the Fullerton Police Department can access school site camera recordings (each accessed with a unique password for transparency), classroom key entry, and their database, which holds a routinely updated school site map.

If police activity is in progress within a quarter-mile radius of any FSD school site during the school day, a red circle pops up on the police car’s computer, alerting officers to inform the school principal of the potential impact on students. Principals and police determine if the school should shelter in place, which allows instruction to continue with limited movement, or go into lockdown, where doors are locked, instruction stops, and teachers and students wait for police to announce an “all clear.”

Trustee Vanesa Estrella asked Chief Radus about law enforcement challenges at FSD. Chief Radus stated that, because there is no Student Resource Officer at any of the 20 FSD school sites, communication is difficult. FSD utilizes one Police Liaison Officer (PLO) for the district who provides communication, education, and positive officer interactions with students.

Radus mentioned that the school district and police department relationship strengthened after the Fern Drive Elementary bomb threat earlier this year, and they now include a FSD administrator at the Crisis Command table for better communication during any FSD incidents. Radus could not comment on the ongoing Fern Drive investigation, except to say that the threat originated outside Fullerton.

Radus stated that the federal government prohibits police from informing schools about any ICE activities, and that ICE is the only law enforcement agency currently not informing FPD when it is active in the area. However, if police are monitoring ICE activity near an FSD school, they will inform the district where the activity is occurring.

The next scheduled FSD board meeting is on May 12 at 6pm.
1401 W Valencia Dr, Fullerton. For the agenda, go to: http://www.fsd.k12.ca.us