Joint Forces To Launch School Safety Officer Program
UPDATE 4/29/14: This news conference has been postponed until further notice.
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A joint initiative between Miami's mayor, the police chief, and some school board members has formed with one goal in mind--increased school safety.
Mayor Tomas Regalado and Chief Manuel Orosa, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade School's Police Chief Ian Moffitt, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Members Raquelita Regalado and Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall are set to announce the creation of the School Safety Officer Program.
The program, according to the news release, is comprised of a team of retired City of Miami Police officers who will dawn a slightly modified uniform to begin a new part-time venture.
The announcement is scheduled for a news conference planned for Tuesday at 10 AM in front of Coral Way Elementary School at 1950 SW 13 Avenue.
The initiative is designed to not only increase safety in schools, but to provide life lessons in an effort to reduce bullying, violence and other disruptive or destructive behaviors.
The Fraternal Order of Police, however, is questioning the intentions of the initiative--stating it is merely a move for Regalado to garner votes.
"We are both disturbed by the thoughtless and obvious politically motivated decision to place older retired police officers in Miami Dade Public Schools," FOP said in a release sent out Monday.
FOP is concerned that student safety is compromised as the retired officers "have not been recently psychologically screened and may not pass the minimum physical standards required of a police officer currently serving the community."
FOP believes the retired officers, which will be placed on taxpayer's payroll, will only "at best" present a false sense of security. FOP believes the initiative, at worst, is a "potential danger to the safety of our children."
