Police Officers, Camera Systems Boost Student Safety: Alexandria Forum

ALEXANDRIA, VA — School safety and support for students is a top priority in Alexandria City Public Schools, officials said at a forum at George Washington Middle School Wednesday.

City and school leaders reviewed the restoration of school resource officers after violence near campuses; more than a dozen school buildings have new security camera systems; and improvements to school crossing under way and a speed zone camera program set to start in early 2023 are all part of the effort to improve safety.

"Promoting a feeling of safety is one of the many goals as we support the wellbeing of all of our ACPS students and staff," said Interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt in opening remarks. "Maintaining safety in our schools and community is top priority to ensure that our students feel welcome, supported and safe in all of our school buildings."

Kay-Wyatt highlighted the impact of new and returning safety measures at ACPS campuses this school year. At middle and high school campuses, students must have their student identification every day so administration and security officers can ensure only students are accessing campus during the school day. All schools have designated entrances for students, staff and visitors to better control access to schools. The high school campuses will continue to have a staggered dismissal process and lunch blocks supervised by staff.

The interim superintendent also noted the importance of students getting 30 minutes of social-emotional learning each school day. Students who need additional support beyond the 30 minutes of social-emotional learning are assisted through the ACPS multi-tiered support system, Kay-Wyatt said. Each school also has a school support team of school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists and school social workers.

Additional school safety measures at the high school campuses were introduced near the end of last school year. They were in response to the fatal stabbing of Alexandria City High School senior Luis Mejia Hernandez off campus at the Bradlee Shopping Center.

John Contreras, director of the ACPS Office of Safety and Security Services, said last year was "very challenging" in terms of school safety incidents. While he didn't share specific numbers, he said August and September saw fewer safety incidents than the previous school year.

According to a school safety data report presented to the Alexandria City School Board in September, there were 191 safety incidents in the first half of last school year and 194 in the second half. This included 96 calls for service to Alexandria Police in the first half and 84 in the second half, resulting in 46 total arrests.

"While we see that those incidents are down, I am very hopeful and have believed that it's because some of those [social-emotional learning] lessons that are in place and other supports we put in place throughout the school year to make sure that we are supporting families and students," said Kay-Wyatt.

Another school safety discussion raised last school year involved school resource officers. ACPS continues to have school resource officers in middle and high schools and a close collaboration with the Alexandria Police Department, Kay-Wyatt said.

There are two officers at Alexandria City High School and one each at the Minnie Howard campus, George Washington Middle School and Francis C. Hammond Middle School. The ACPS relationship with the police department is being refined through the School Law Enforcement Partnership advisory group, which will present recommendations to leaders in December.

Officer Richard Sandoval is the school resource officer assigned to Francis C. Hammond Middle School. Sandoval has been working in the position since the school resource officers were returned to middle and high schools in October 2021.

City Council had removed funding for school resource officers for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. But incidents of violence, including a student with a gun arrested outside Alexandria City High School, prompted City Council to restore school resource officers. School resource officers are present in addition to the school district's own school security officers.

Sandoval said it was a "surprising experience" to develop positive relationships with the students.

"Yes, I wear a uniform, and yes I'm there to keep the children and staff safe, help my friends in security," said Sandoval. "But in part of that partnership, there's also the relationship we have with the children. That's been very rewarding to me."

Contreras said ACPS has installed a more robust visitor management system, which can also help during school emergency drills. All schools have a new intrusion security system, while 15 schools have new security camera systems and three remaining schools will be upgraded soon.

Kay-Wyatt asked families to support ACPS in its school safety efforts by ensuring students follow the safety and security measures and share any concerns with schools or the ACPS safety and security team.

On the transportation safety side, Alex Carroll, Complete Streets manager for the city's Transportation and Environmental Services talked about the city's Safe Routes to School program to improve student safety to and from school. One of the efforts in recent years had been walk audits at 13 schools to identify hazards and barriers to walking and biking.

About 250 infrastructure recommendations around schools resulted from those audits. Carroll said the city has completed or started about half of those recommendations.

"Really the purpose of this program is to make infrastructure improvements near schools to make it easier, safer, more comfortable and even enjoyable for kids and families to walk or bike to and from school," Carroll said.

One example of a completed project was at John Adams Elementary School, where about a dozen crossing improvements were made. Upcoming projects include safety improvements near William Ramsay Elementary School, the new Polk Avenue sidewalk near James K. Polk Elementary School next year, and the rollout of the school zone speed camera program.

The speed zone camera program will start in early 2023 after approval by Alexandria City Council. Locations of the speed cameras have not yet been finalized.

Another safety effort came this week as the city announced speed limit reductions on some streets in the West End. That includes school zone speed limits of 15 mph on North Beauregard Street, West Braddock Road from North Beauregard Street to Quaker Lane, North Howard Street from Lynn House driveway to Braddock Road and Seminary Road from Kenmore Avenue to North Pickett Street.

A new school zone with a 15 mph speed limit will also be introduced on King Street from Radford Street to Quincy Street near Alexandria City High School. Some school zones in Alexandria already have 15 mph school zone speed limits.

On the topic of school crossing guards, Contreras noted volunteers helped fill openings last year. Contreras encouraged volunteers with availability in the mornings or afternoons to become volunteer crossing guards by contacting the Office of Safety and Security Services. Volunteers would be trained by the Alexandria Police Department.

The overall message of the forum speakers was "it takes a village" to address school safety, including the involvement of families.

The full school safety forum video is available here.