Las Vegas Sun

November 30, 2009

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Comments by user: Mischka

See the pie chart on page 3 of the address below to see where I got the "CCSDPD operating costs are currently less than 1% of the entire district's budget."

http://ccsd.net/directory/budget-finance...

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 5:51 p.m.

No, the money allocated by the state to our district to pay the School Police would then have to go to Metro. A Metro case study determined that, not only could they not provide the full amount of full time and over time services that the District Police provide, but that it would cost twice as much for less service. Not to mention paying security on top of that cost.

They can't handle the calls for service that would be generated by a private security firm and would most definitely bill the district.

The result would be no full-time in school officers and paying Metro twice as much AND paying a private security firm.

CCSDPD operating costs are currently less than 1% of the entire district's budget.

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 5:30 p.m.

To Sunvisitor,

Farming it out to a security company would result in paying for services from a private security firm AND paying Metro or Henderson or NLVPD. Security guards don't have arresting authority. They can't collect evidence. They can't issue tickets, etc. The most they can do is detain a subject until another agency arrives. They would have to call other agencies in every time they had a case which would result in the district being billed MORE than the current amount they pay their own Police Department...including all the overtime. It would not be cost effective.

The district does however have it's own Campus Security Monitors at each event to supplement the presence of school administration and School Police. They don't earn as much (cost effective) because they aren't accredited Police Officers. Campus Security just lacks the authority to do much when it comes to police activities.

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 4:34 p.m.

Well, since I have a brother in law on Metro, one on NLVPD and another on the District Police Department, I have done my homework and am quite sure that my statement is accurate.

BTW, Metro and NLVPD and Henderson each charge the district $100 per hour for OT as a flat rate fee to cover not only the officer's pay rate but also for equipment usage, like their vehicles, radios, computers, etc.

Obviously it's more cost effective for the district to have their own department.

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 2:49 p.m.

Ticket sales do mostly pay the cost of the overtime. Each school is charged for their specific event's OT and they pay it out of the revenue from the event.

If it is a free event (like a choir concert or an orchestra performance) it is my understanding that it comes from the school's budget.

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 2:23 p.m.

FYI, that $14 million in overtime wasn't all spent on paying the District Police Department's overtime.

It says "From July 2007 through June 2008, the district spent more than $14 million on overtime...". That can mean bus drivers, landscapers, painters, roofers, campus monitors, electricians, police, etc...

The School Police ARE real police officers. They attend the same academy as North Las Vegas PD, Henderson PD, and every other local agency except for Metro. School Police are Post I Certified just like everyone else. They have arresting authority throughout the entire state of Nevada, just like everyone else. And yes, they could even write you a ticket for speeding, just like everyone else. They've certainly passed the "real police" officer's test.

This is not just about football games, even though the bulk of School Police overtime comes from athletics. This is about having Police available to immediately respond anytime to protect the safety of a student, teacher, administrator or member of the public while present at a school sponsored event. (Which BTW they do charge admission to pay for.)

Their presence discourages multifarious potentially dangerous situations. It's proactive instead of reactive.

It also protects the School District from frivolous lawsuits because protection is provided, even if it does not need to be used. That saves the district money, too.

(Suggest removal) 1/10/09 at 2:09 p.m.

You do know that farming it out to a security company would result in paying for services from a private security firm AND paying Metro or Henderson or NLVPD, right? Security guards don't have arresting authority. They can't collect evidence. They can't issue tickets, etc. The most they can do is detain a subject until another agency arrived. They would have to call other agencies in every time they had a case which would result in the district being billed MORE than the current amount they pay their own Police Department...including all the overtime. So, that really doesn't make any sense either.

(Suggest removal) 1/8/09 at 5:05 p.m.

Okay, I am not being mean spirited, I am only expressing my opinions. You don't have to agree with my opinion and I don't have to agree with yours but don't personally attack me.

My only points were that it is sad we even need police in schools but since we do, it's worth the safety of everyone there, kids, teachers, and other staff, to have them available all the time and pay them for doing their jobs.

(Suggest removal) 1/7/09 at 6:34 p.m.

It's Mischka...there is no hyphen. And I never said anything about not going out in public for fear of the unknown, nor did I say I don't go to ball games with my children.

NOR did I ever say there isn't any waste in the school district.

What I did say was that because parents aren't doing their jobs at home teaching respect and morals, we need police in the schools to keep our kids safe and if that means as taxpayers, I/we have to pay them to keep all our kids safe, it's worth it.

Would you rather the district pay Metro overtime at every necessary event? I guarantee they charge a lot more. And don't give me the argument that at least they are real cops because so are the district police officers. They have the same qualifications.

As a society we can't rely on government bodies, that's correct. If you want a solution you have to get back to the source of the problem and that is the disintegration of the family.

No one wants to be responsible, everyone wants to blame-shift. I don't understand what's wrong with police getting paid to work if the district won't hire more policemen.

(Suggest removal) 1/7/09 at 4:32 p.m.

One...I am not an administrator. I am a stay at home mother of five.

Two...BECAUSE the school police ARE there I will let them go to school, knowing that there are REAL Police Officers close by.

Three...you're right, the problem will not go away BECAUSE parents will not step up and be responsible for the actions of their kids.

So...the reason we have to have an undermanned police department pay their employees overtime is because--

They HAVE to be there to parent the unparented child!

(Suggest removal) 1/7/09 at 2:24 p.m.

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