LAUSD Violence Highlights BHUSD Security Concerns

This week’s gun violence on or near Los Angeles Unified School District campuses highlights the challenges of school security and is likely to influence the debate over whether to install a chain-link fence around .

A student brought a gun onto the campus of Gardena High School on Tuesday, where it accidentally discharged in a classroom, wounding two students. On Wednesday, a gunman fired multiple shots at a school police officer near El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills. And just four hours later, a 16-year-old Bell High School student was shot and wounded about half a block from campus.

These incidents come a month after the Beverly Hills Unified School District formed a . Creation of the task force was prompted by a Dec. 10 incident in which a 28-year-old man dressed as a student entered a BHHS classroom.

Then on Jan. 10, a woman was while waiting to pick up her children from El Rodeo school.

At the school board meeting the next day, members were divided over which steps would best immediately increase security at city schools. The board agreed to source a bid to install a 6-foot tall chain-link fence around BHHS at a cost of about $26,000. The fence recommendation came from Beverly Hills Police Department Sgt. Joe Chirillo, who acknowledged that it was more of a “visual deterrent” than anything else.

Board member Jake Manaster dissented, saying he believes increased security patrols would be more effective. This week’s gun violence in Los Angeles has reinforced his view.

“A fence would not have prevented either the Gardena or El Camino incidents,” Manaster told Patch. “We need more uniformed, sworn officers on all campuses, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Reinstating school resource officers would be one way to accomplish this goal, Manaster said. Until a year ago, each of the five city schools had its own Beverly Hills police officer specially trained in school security. The district eliminated the full-time position this year because of budget restraints. City and school board officials could work together to obtain federal or state grants to help fund the school resource officers program, Manaster said.

Check back with Patch next week for coverage of the school security discussions. Manaster will not be able to attend the Monday meeting, which was moved from its usual Tuesday slot.