Sworn officers or specially-trained staff members can patrol the campus and keep a close eye on at-risk students or potentially threatening situations. Moreover, sworn officers can watch out for drug selling or drug use at school. This is a highly specialized job that cannot be left up to teachers or school staff to perform, as they have their own jobs to worry about. Furthermore, when the threat of violence is immanent, these trained officers can alert the local law enforcement stations and call for required assistance if required. Having the ability to communicate instantaneously with law enforcement is one of the most important ways schools can reduce violence.
Preventative measures and educational tools to increase awareness about violence go a long way. However, prevention must be supplemented by proactive measures such as zero tolerance policies. Any student who is impaired while at school would be subject to suspension and/or the penalties of law. Zero tolerance sends a strong message...
The only times that more flexible measures would be required is in the case with special needs students. Often students with special needs that exhibit violent or otherwise deviant behavior should not automatically be suspended or prosecuted under the law. Special education courses should hopefully provide the care that these students need.
Law enforcement must work closely with schools to prevent crimes on campus. By taking a zero tolerance stance on violence and drug use, schools send a strong message to their students that no deviant behavior will be brushed aside. Furthermore, students need to see a visible presence of law enforcement in order to feel safe and to prevent potentially violent situations from escalating. Training teachers and staff in case of emergencies can also go a long way to preventing violence. While school violence might not be eliminated altogether, it can be minimized when such proactive measures are used.
