Police reduce presence at city schools

John Howell
Posted 10/14/14

When schools open today, police will be present, but unlike last week following receipt by Johnston Police of an anonymous letter threatening the beheading of an elementary school student, they …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Police reduce presence at city schools

Posted

When schools open today, police will be present, but unlike last week following receipt by Johnston Police of an anonymous letter threatening the beheading of an elementary school student, they won’t be there for the full day.

In a memo Friday to members of the City Council and Warwick state legislators, Col. Stephen McCartney said police officers will be assigned to the opening and closing of schools. He said following school openings, police would make periodic checks. Personnel covering the schools will include uniformed officers as well as detectives and members of the community service division.

“If the situation continues to stabilize then on Wednesday and beyond we will institute our random anti-threat measures plan that will just involve our on-duty personnel working their normal schedule. This plan is designed to create unpredictable and random checks of the schools so anyone who might be thinking of doing something at a school will never know when police are there,” the chief said.

In an interview Friday afternoon, Superintendent Richard D’Agostino said that attendance picked up following first reports of the letter that singled out Warwick, Cranston and Johnston schools as the target for an attack. The Warwick department sent out a connected message to parents Tuesday evening informing them of the threat and the decision to have a police officer stationed at each of the schools. The following morning, some elementary schools experienced absenteeism rates of 50 percent, with the drop-off being highest in the lower grades. By Friday, overall school attendance was 91 percent, with absenteeism running highest among elementary schools.

“We’re getting back to normal,” D’Agostino said.

He said school personnel followed safety protocols, adding, “Security in the buildings is fine.” He said the presence of police was a calming influence.

D’Agostino said that students would continue to remain inside during recess this week.

Mayor Scott Avedisian and McCartney personally visited schools last week, talking with parents, school faculty and students. Avedisian said Saturday he found some parents understandably anxious and school personnel professional and understanding in handling the situation.

Legislators from the three communities were prompt in calling for stiff penalties to the individual or individuals responsible for the threat.

State senators from Warwick, Cranston and Johnston said they propose making it a felony for an individual to make a clear threat of physical injury against school children, punishable by a prison sentence of up to 20 years and/or a fine of up to $100,000. The legislation, which is expected to be introduced during the first week of the 2015 General Assembly session that begins in January, is being prepared by Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick), Sen. Frank S. Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston), Sen. Frank Lombardo III (D-Dist. 25, Johnston), Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston), Sen. Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick) and Sen. William A. Walaska (D-Dist. 30, Warwick).

The announcement by the senators follows by a day a statement by Rep. Deborah A. Fellela (D-Dist. 43, Johnston) that she would introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives in January. The senators said they would work with their House colleagues for quick passage and enactment of such legislation. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed and House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello are supporting their work.

“I can’t think of many things more despicable than threatening young, innocent children, and I want our laws to reflect how seriously we are taking this kind of threat, false or otherwise,” Walaska said in a statement.

“It may not be possible to prevent sick, misguided individuals from doing something like this,” said Lynch, “but the individuals responsible for these kinds of threats need to know that, when caught, they will face the harshest punishment possible. We are taking this very seriously and we are very serious about passing this law.”

McCaffrey said that he is “confident that law enforcement will find the cowards who have done this and confident that law enforcement and school administrators will continue to keep our school children safe. Passing this legislation will be a priority in the Senate, as I am sure it will be in the House.”

McCartney said Saturday that police continue to investigate the threat and that there were no new developments as of that time. Local officials are working with federal authorities in their effort to identify the person or persons responsible for the threat, which arrived as a single-page, handwritten letter at the Johnston Police Department headquarters last week.

McCartney said the Warwick department spent almost $31,000 in overtime to keep an officer in each school for the better part of eight hours for each of three days last week.

In his email to council and legislators, McCartney wrote, “We are now past the threat period specified and the history of school violence has shown to be events in which no warning is given.”

Johnston was also set to scale back the police presence at its schools, while Cranston planned to maintain police supervision of all school buildings this week as the investigation continues.

“The Cranston School Department and the Cranston Police are confident that our buildings are safe and we have appropriate measures in place,” Cranston Superintendent Dr. Judith Lundsten said in a statement.

Comments

3 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • perky4175

    waste of tax payers money

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Report this

  • ah0725

    Really? I dare you to find a parent who has a child in the Warwick school system and say that to their face.

    Its not a waste if it helps keep kids in the school where they should be instead of at home with parents who are too nervous to send their kid to school and have to stay home from work. Loss of work means loss of income, which means less revenue for taxation. Loss of education for kids means more time having to play catch up with the other grade level students. Eventually when kids fall far enough behind they can't graduate on time. They have a harder time getting higher education or finding a job and could possibly wind up needing additional government assistance, which comes from (guess where??) taxes.

    So, maybe not such a bad idea?

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Report this

  • warwick10

    Make schools safer, yesterday, last week, last month, last year...school violence is on the rise! Why is it school safety is only an issue when something goes wrong? Find the money secure our schools, locking the doors, "buzzing " to enter the building is not "security!" Go to any local school, ring the bell, and you are buzzed in...no questions asked!

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Report this