Board OKs elementary school cops

Teresa Hinds

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The School Board has approved a $310,000 measure that will give elementary schools their own police officers.

The plan was approved Tuesday with a 5-1 vote, with board member Judy Witt voting no and Jeff Burr abstaining.

The money will pay for six police officers and six patrol cars. Each officer will receive a salary, including benefits, of $41,807.47. The police cars will be purchased from Metro and the Nevada Highway Patrol at a cost of $10,000 per vehicle.

Up until now, elementary schools did not have police officers assigned to their campuses. Officers from nearby high schools have had to respond to emergencies at elementary schools.

The urgency of the need for police officers at elementary schools eventually overshadowed the School Board's frustration with not knowing where the money to pay for the protection would come from.

"This problem is so serious, we need to find the money to do it," said board member Howard McMillan. "In elementary schools, these kids can't take care of themselves."

Jack Lazarotto, director of security for the school district, told the board the school district must take proactive steps for student safety.

"Our phone is constantly ringing off the hook," Lazarotto said. "We get calls about abductions, people exposing themselves, shootings, parental custody type of things. The calls run the whole gamut."

Witt, chairwoman of the safety and transportation committee, opposed the motion because a funding source was not identified.

"We know the money is not there and the way those options were written up, it was done so that it would be sure it wouldn't happen, because those numbers will knock you off your seat," she said.

Superintendent Brian Cram assured the board money for the police officers would be found and suggested a freeze on certain administrative positions within the district to help defray the cost of the program.

Board member Lois Tarkanian supported the measure, saying, "I do believe the board has a responsibility to be sure (students) will have a safe learning environment.

"I'd like to envoke the words of a former board member, Dan Newburn: 'If we vote it, they will find the money.'"

The board was presented with three options, including the one that was approved. The other options were a $180,000 proposal that would fund the purchase of 18 police cars to be used by existing officers at nearby high schools to patrol the elementary schools, and one that would "maintain current police staff and place more emphasis for police services by the current patrol units at the elementary level."