Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/107698
ESProfessional Q&A with a Campus Safety Supervisor, cont. from page 15 an armed guard on campus," let's going on, whether it's gang activity, train the staff who are already on our Schools are safe weapons, drugs. Phoenix Union has campuses, who already know our 160 actively involved security perbecause of the sonnel on campus, but we know we students, and actively engage with kids, staff, and really promote safety trained person- don't have the funding to give them on campus. nel we put in all that training to each individual While we have dealt with firecampus. them. Our job arms on campus, we see things like brass is to safeguard How important is building student knuckles and knives on faculty, staff, and rapport to your job? that's trained a more regular basis. If you have someone students and we and knows your personnel – like a It's time we safeguard our people with better take it seriously. teacher – they get to know the stutraining and equipment dent one-on-one, in person; they get like ballistic vests or any to know how they act, their moods, hardcore vest. Handcuffs are the and their body language. And a lot of times we least amount of force necessary to deal with different types of students, whether stop a threat. The most force you they are our regular mainstream student, our would ever want on a campus our special education students, our special needs size would be tasers and that's even students, our emotionally disturbed students. I for stopping a big threat, even from can look at some of my emotionally disturbed firearms. students and see they're not having a good day Schools are safe because of the and go "Did they get breakfast this morning? trained personnel we put in them. Did mom and dad fight this morning? Did they Our job is to safeguard faculty, staff, take their meds this morning?" And if I have that and students, and we take it seriously. I train all one-on-one with them, I'm able to go to them of our people to be very diligent in doing that. and say "Hey John, come here. What's going Not every school is like my school. I've been on?" And he might say, "Aw, my mom and dad through the training in California, and I train fought today." Or "I forgot to take my meds." my staff on a regular basis, on a monthly basis, And then I can take him in to SPED or take him to be right on the cutting edge of whatever is to talk to somebody. Someone from off the street doesn't know how to deal with those students, doesn't know that mentality, and isn't able to react that way. Why Are You a Member of the AEA? Whereas if there's a fight, lots of times we deal I've always been a member of a union regardless of what industry I am with students that are 6'3", 300 lb. – a football in. My father has been too, so I was raised union. I'm a staunch believer player – who happens to be fighting with anin union and employee rights. I'm also a strong believer in the Association other football player or wrestler and now we're because I have a very difficult job and my job puts me in harm's way. It getting in the middle of them. I have to give verputs me in situations where I might be more likely to be sued just a little bit bal commands. But if I know Jose and Timmy more than a teacher or an administrator because, let's face it, the liability's and can tell them to knock it off using that aua lot bigger when we break up fights or have to take someone down or thoritative 'dad' tone of voice and because they physically disarm somebody. know me and I have that one-on-one relationNow as long as I use the training that I've been given and follow the ship with them, they are more apt to back off. If parameters, policies, and procedures of the school district, I know I'm a uniformed guy that they've never seen before covered. But you know lots of times there's a scapegoat – you know that. starts yelling at them and pulls out his baton, I don't want to be that, and therefore I'm a firm believer in the Association the students are not going to respond to that, and use the attorneys and the representation. I can articulate why I did and the crowd that is watching is more likely to what I did and followed the rules, but lots of times there's other lawyers egg it on. As active security personnel, we have that want to prove me wrong and will use their abilities to try and sue me to be the counselor, mom and dad, the teacher, and try to get money from the deepest pockets. I know because it has the mentor, everyone that's needed at the time happened to me. to stop a threat. 2 Spring.13advo.indd 34 34 Spring 2013 x AEA Advocate 1/29/13 10:53 AM