7440 - FACILITY SECURITY PROGRAM
Construction and maintenance of safe and secure facilities to support the instruction of students by the School Corporation’s staff involves a substantial investment of public funds. It is therefore in the interest of the school community that the School Board protect its investment in facilities by implementing a security program.
The Superintendent shall develop and supervise a program for the security of the Corporation’s students, staff, visitors, buildings, grounds and equipment. This program may include the use of video and audio monitoring and recording equipment on the Corporation’s grounds and in the Corporation’s vehicles.
The Board directs the Superintendent to identify persons who knowingly or negligently damage property or expose persons to the risk of harm in the course of Corporation activities. If persons responsible for harm or risk of harm to a person or property damage are identified, the Board directs the Superintendent and staff to cooperate in the prosecution of these persons and to pursue recovery of the cost of repair or replacement of damaged property.
In implementing the security program required by this policy, the Board authorizes the Superintendent to direct a person to not come on Corporation property, leave Corporation property, or that s/he may not attend a Corporation activity when the Superintendent determines that the person’s presence may be a danger to others. If a person does not comply with such a directive, the Board authorizes the Superintendent to seek arrest of the person by a law enforcement officer and prosecution of the person for the Level 6 felony of Criminal Trespass on School Property, as found at I.C. 35-43-2-2(b)(1) or (2). A decision by a designee of the Superintendent may be reviewed and modified by the Superintendent
The Superintendent is authorized to purchase and install walk-through metal detectors and video and audio monitoring equipment on school property in order to protect the health, welfare, and safety of students, staff, parents and other visitors, and Corporation property.
The Superintendent also is authorized to purchase hand-held metal detectors and permit administrative staff, school resource officers, and other personnel trained in the usage of hand-held metal detectors to utilize such metal detectors as a part of a comprehensive program of school security and safety of students, staff, parents and other visitors.
Metal detectors, both walk-through and hand-held wands, shall be used only in accordance with the Superintendent’s administrative guidelines.
When a school administrator has a reasonable suspicion to believe a weapon is in the possession of a person, student, staff member, parent or other visitor, walk-through and hand-held metal detectors may be used.
The Board authorizes the search of all persons, students, staff members, visitors, entering Corporation buildings, boarding or riding Corporation buses/vehicles owned by, or contracted for, the Corporation, entering Corporation property, attending events on Corporation property, attending school activities off site Such searches also may be conducted using walk-through or hand-held metal detectors as a part of a comprehensive program of safety and security.
If a person has a medical condition that prohibits them from going through a walk-through metal detector, then only a hand-held metal detector may be used.
The Superintendent shall require that notice of the Corporation’s intent to conduct such searches is provided at least annually to all Corporation staff members, students and their parents, and visitors, including an outline of the procedure to be utilized during a search.
No person shall be selected to be searched based solely upon his/her gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, manner of dress, or association with any particular group of persons.
The Superintendent shall report to the Board, no later than the next Board meeting, any significant incident involving vandalism, theft, personal safety, or other security risk and the measures being taken to address the situation.
Revised 11/10/09
Revised 3/19/13
Revised 12/11/18
T.C. 6/13/23
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