School Safety

To accomplish our goals to ensure safety at our schools, we have the following special units and programs:

1. School Safety Officers work to implement violence prevention measures. Their responsibilities include:
   • Responding to schools during disturbances and student unrest.
   • Investigating student confrontations and allegations of wrongdoing on school campuses or school events and recommending action to solve problem.
   • Investigating reports of missing children, stranger danger (attempted abductions, indecent exposure, etc.)
   • Conducting conflict or crisis resolution/mediation with youth.
   • Conducting staff in-service training programs on various violence/gang recognition and intervention issues.
   • Delivering community presentations on gang awareness and hate crimes. They have given over 1,000 presentations to parents, staff, and community groups. Their services may be requested by district staff, parents, student and community members.
   • Collaborating with law enforcement agencies.
2. Uniformed Security Officers respond to burglar and fire alarms throughout the district. They are radio-dispatched by our own alarm monitoring service and patrol all school sites and tend to other situations involving the safety and well-being of students and staff. They provide security coverage for an area over 250 square miles for the school district, sharing similar responsibilities of the other units within our department. School Safety takes pride in providing service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including holidays and weekends. Duties include but are not limited to:
   • Response to on-campus/on-site violent potential circumstances or reported nighttime lockdowns during campus special events.
   • Helping to provide security at Board Meetings (in accordance with Policy BBAB), Back to School assemblies, Town Hall meetings, and other district-wide events or public meetings, and providing dignitary protection.
   • Investigating reported missing/lost children after school or children who reportedly did not arrive at home. This often involves transporting children and home visits, often before law enforcement arrives.
   • Responding to after-school disorderly conduct, assaults, other disturbances on the campus, school bus or other district property.
   • Assisting in resolving district emergency maintenance issues that occur after hours or weekends (i.e. shutting off water valves during irrigation leaks, back flow preventers, boarding of windows, calling in extensive or vulgar graffiti to dispatch for work order log, etc.).
   • Providing after-hour or weekend letter delivery services to employees on home assignment for leadership or letters to public in accordance with Policy KFA, etc.
   • Unlocking doors for employees or contractors who may have locked themselves out after regular hours.

   TUSD Officers are trusted employees with approved access to sensitive information as it pertains to students/parents or staff. This is a vital and necessary element when delivering the multiple services they provide for our stakeholders.

3. Dispatchers are a key in providing communication with personnel in the field. They provide coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their duties include:
   • Record staff locations, coordinate back-up of other officers, law enforcement agencies, and requests for emergency help.
   • Night shift dispatchers monitor alarm systems, dispatch Uniformed Security Officers and notify appropriate authorities as needed.
   • Maintain a daily call log recording all calls with case numbers and action taken.
   • Dispatchers working day shift dispatch School Safety Officers to incidents on campuses such as weapons, lost children, violence and truancy.
4. Traffic Safety Supervisors provide investigative assistance with any safety related issues involving school bus transportation services for the District. This includes traffic safety and control concerns at your site, matters involving serious bus conduct reports, traffic collision investigation involving District vehicles, and neighborhood complaints. They also train district bus drivers and supervise the crossing guards.
5. School Crossing Guards: The Crossing Guard Coordinator provides all the administrative needs, supervises coordinating control and training for over 200 Adult Crossing Guards. Adult Crossing Guards are hired and trained before being placed with children safety as our priority and in accordance to ARS 28-797 (Arizona Department of Transportation Traffic Safety for School Areas Guidelines). Crossing Guard Absences should be called in to 520-225-4928.
6. Key Control: Key Control plays a vital role in the safety and security of all district personnel entering a District site. The manner in which keys and control access cards are issued and maintained impact the overall ability of the Department of School Safety to be able to reduce unauthorized access to TUSD sites. The security of sites are compromised when keys are "passed on" or not returned to Key Control. Key Control is located in the Howenstine Building at 555 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson AZ 85716. For questions or concerns please call 520-232-7380
7. Parents On Patrol (POP) is a volunteer program designed to involve parents in the safety and security of our schools. The program encourages parents, grandparents, and other relatives to volunteer their time to assist school personnel by observing and listening on the campus and reporting to the school administrator. POP volunteers are the eyes and ears of the school. Interested parents can contact the School Safety Officer assigned to their site or call School Safety at 520-584-7676.