Schools Police Chief Defends Security Guard in Confrontation with Student

Oakland’s schools police chief Thursday defended a school security guard at an East Oakland high school for a confrontation with a student earlier this month that was captured on video and released to the public. Oakland Unified School District police Chief Jeff Godown said he doesn’t know how the video became public, but that it depicts a Jan. 8 incident in the main office of Fremont High School that may appear alarming but was necessary for the safety of either the student or the rest of the school.

“I expected when I saw the video that you would have people who didn’t like it,” Godown said. Anytime there is use of force by a security guard, “it’s never going to look pretty on TV.”

The video first surfaced in media reports Wednesday night. It depicts a student approaching a desk in the office, briefly speaking to a man at the desk, and then turning to leave. Before he can leave the office area, a security guard blocks his path, shoves him back and the two struggle, pushing and shoving until they move into an area out of view of the camera.

The security guard continues struggling with the student just out of sight while another comes to his aid. About two minutes later, they emerge with the student in handcuffs and take him away. Godown declined to say why the security guard felt like he had to force the student to stay there, and said only that he and the school’s assistant principal wanted to talk to the student and couldn’t allow him to leave.

According to Godown, it’s unclear who pushes who first, and he has heard differing accounts from different witnesses. While he would unequivocally say the security guard was correct in not allowing the student to leave, he stopped short of saying the force was justified, saying only that the department was still investigating.

“All the student had to do is comply,” he said. If a police officer was in the same position the interaction probably would have looked similar, Godown said.

The school district police department employs about 90 security guards throughout the district, with five or six stationed at each of the high schools. The guards are embedded in the schools and liked by many students there, but occasionally have to get physical with students, such as if they need to break up a fight. The guards are unarmed and carry only handcuffs.

“They have a very tough job,” Godown said. But the security guards have come under scrutiny recently, including for an incident two years ago at the same high school that was only made public last year.

In that incident, in January 2014, a student was standing in a doorway at the school when he was confronted by two security guards and one of them shoved him from behind. At one point the guards put the student in a chokehold and twisted his arm. Godown said today both of those guards have since resigned from their positions. Another security guard was caught on video dumping a disabled student out of a wheelchair and punching him at Oakland High School on May 19, 2014.

The guard was convicted of assault and sentenced to five years’ probation in November. While he acknowledged those incidents raise concerns about use of force by security guards, Godown said he examines each incident independently of others. Asked whether the latest incident might lead to changes in training for school security guards, Godown said the district is constantly looking for ways to improve its security policies.

“We’re always looking to improve,” he said.

By Bay City News

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