School Resource Officer's Desk Reference

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Procedures for Searching Students (cont)


Special Considerations for Weapons

  • Every school should have in place a plan for dealing with students who possess weapons on school property, in school buses and at school events.
     

  • Every school administrator, teacher and staffer should be familiar with the plan.
     

  • Every incident involving a weapon, or even an allegation that a student has a weapon, should be handled by a law enforcement officer.
     

  • If a school resource officer is available, that officer should be the first person contacted when a student or other person on school property is reported to have a weapon. Otherwise, a local law enforcement agency -- as designated in the school plan for dealing with weapons incidents -- should be contacted immediately. Law enforcement officers are specially trained to search and disarm persons bearing weapons at minimal risk to themselves and others.
     

  • Where a weapon is suspected on school property, any law enforcement officer -- not just school safety officers and school resource officers – may conduct a student search based on the reasonable suspicion of any school official.

 

 

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