The County of Fresno Grand Jury

Conclusions 12

• CL1
  Citizens Review Panel oversight responsibilities to the Board of Supervisors
• CL2
  Updating and expanding the Operational Service Delivery Plan
• CL3
  Library Long Term Facilities Planning
• CL4
  Community Engagement and Public Awareness campaign
• CL5
  Measure B Funding Compliance. Each of these suggested areas for consideration should be included in an all inclusive Master Plan Program similar to a public school district's facilities long term program. Such programs are often facilitated by professional Program Management firms experienced in bringing together all stakeholders responsible for maximizing their collective stewardship of public funds. The Grand Jury suggests that similar program services be considered.
• CL6
  Policies, Practices, and Enforcement: ▪ All Fresno County School Boards should clearly define and implement appropriate funding and policies to maximize school security and student safety. These policies should be reviewed and updated at least annually. ▪ Fresno County schools should follow and enforce the safety and security policies established by the school districts. For example, if a door should remain closed and locked during class, close and lock the door(s) during class. ▪ Fresno County school security officials should meet annually to exchange ideas, learn from what others are implementing that may work in your district, and share new ideas. ▪ School districts should research and annually apply for grant programs to fund improvements to security equipment and security staffing. ▪ Each school should have a trained, sworn, and equipped School Resource Officer. ▪ All school administration and the assigned police and sheriff jurisdiction should meet annually to discuss policies and procedures to ensure proper coordination in all emergency situations.
• CL7
  Access Control: ▪ School access should be limited and actively and consistently enforced.
• CL8
  Physical Barriers: ▪ Physical barriers (walls, fences, and locked doors) should be used, where deemed appropriate by the governing board, to limit unauthorized access to schools. 95
• CL9
  Communications: ▪ An “exchange” (where surplus equipment is donated and made available to those who need it) for security gear/equipment should be implemented and made available for all Fresno County schools through the FCOE in cooperation with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. ▪ Each school shall develop and implement an effective communication method with students, staff, parents, and the community during an emergency. ▪ “Panic buttons” (emergency notification system, phone app., etc.) should be installed in each classroom, library, cafeteria, and all offices.
• CL10
  Video Surveillance ▪ Each school should maximize the use of video surveillance (both external and internal), including properly staffed and trained surveillance monitors.
• CL11
  Parental Involvement ▪ Parental involvement is necessary and essential to maximum safety and security. Schools should sponsor annual (at a minimum) parent meetings to discuss school safety and security. ▪ Schools should inform parents of all recently implemented or installed emergency communications and safety improvements. ▪ The emergency communication tools (social media, web apps, etc.) the schools implement and utilize should be readily available to parents and guardians.
• CL12
  Training and Drills ▪ All School Districts: Should conduct at least one “full” on-site active shooter emergency drill (including law enforcement, EMT, and related services) bi-annually (at a minimum) to evaluate their preparedness to manage emergency situations. 96 ▪ All Schools: Should conduct at least one on-site active shooter emergency drill annually to familiarize their staff and students with their emergency evaluation and response procedures. ▪ All Fresno County School District staff, including but not limited to administration, teachers, janitorial/maintenance, cafeteria, support, etc., should attend “Seconds to Survive” or a similar active shooter scenario video on a recurring basis. ▪ All local law enforcement agencies, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the specialized police departments should provide active shooter training to all appropriate personnel. ▪ Local law enforcement should familiarize themselves with the campus layout of all schools within their jurisdiction. FINDINGS (Note: All findings are based on interviews conducted by a minimum of two current Grand Jurors.) F1 FCOE, DBH, and county schools take school safety very seriously. F2 Local law enforcement and school officials have experienced difficulty motivating large numbers of parents to be involved in school safety and security. F3 Some schools have policies in their Comprehensive Safety and Security Plans (CSSP) requiring access to be controlled, but these policies are not always enforced (e.g., Controlled Access: External and internal doors should be closed and locked, and strictly control school access to individuals who are not students or staff). F4 Some schools were unable to enhance security because of limited radio communications among school staff and/or law enforcement. F5 Some school campuses have limited or no funding for security upgrades or programs based on school district or individual school priorities. F6 Local law enforcement agencies have procedures in place to address the immediate response to an active shooter incident. 97 F7 Local schools and law enforcement work well and cooperate closely. F8 Fresno County DBH, FCOE, Fresno County schools, and local law enforcement have developed a highly effective and collaborative methodology to identify and intervene when a student is identified as a potential risk. F9 A well-designed and appropriately monitored video surveillance system with trained staff is an important and valuable safety system for schools.