FILE:  KLG

Cf:  JCABC

RELATIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES

It is the policy of the Monroe City School Board to cooperate with law enforcement agencies for the best interest and welfare of all citizens. Schools have the responsibility to parents for the welfare of the students while they are in the care of the school. Cooperation with law enforcement agencies is essential for the protection of students, for maintaining a safe environment in the schools, and for safeguarding all school property. All contact with representatives of law enforcement agencies by school personnel shall be governed by applicable Board policies.

APPREHENSION

The Monroe City School Board authorizes principals or designees to release minor students into the custody of a law enforcement officer upon presentation of a court order. The principal or designee will immediately notify the parent/guardian or responsible relative of the student's release and the place to which the student is reportedly taken, except in cases of suspected child abuse.

Whenever a student is suspected of being a victim of child abuse and is being removed from the school premises, the Superintendent or designee must give the telephone number and address of the student's parent/guardian to the law enforcement officer. The officer then has the responsibility of immediately notifying the parent/guardian.

Personnel responsible for releasing a student from school custody shall exercise extreme diligence to prevent such release to any unauthorized or unidentified person.

STUDENT PROBLEMS OCCURRING IN SCHOOLS

At times, there are situations that occur at the local schools that require the assistance of the police department. When the school summons the police for assistance, the officer or officers will render whatever assistance is required.

If the student is over seventeen (17) years of age the responding law enforcement shall determine whether an arrest ensues for whatever cause. If the school officials do not wish for the student to remain on campus and want the student removed from the school premises, said officials may request that he/she be transported home by the police, or sent home, if the student has transportation. (If the student lives out of the city limits, the services of the sheriff's office may be requested.) The student shall then be subject to appropriate disciplinary measures.

If the student is under the age of seventeen (17), or the student has no transportation, the student should be isolated in the principal's office and the parent or guardian called to come pick up the child. Otherwise the child should be transported home on the regular school bus run if no parent or guardian is available. If the police must be called to prevent serious harm to the student or to others an arrest may follow (discretionary to law enforcement).

ARREST OF A STUDENT AT SCHOOL

The principal may suggest the officer make his/her arrest at another time and not on the school grounds, although this is discretionary to law enforcement. The principal may request from the arresting officer a copy of the legal process document, if available, giving the authority to take the student into legal custody. If the officer is making an arrest, or taking the student into custody without a document showing legal authority to the School Board to do so, the principal should secure the officer's signature, badge number, and the employer's agency name on a statement prepared by the principal reciting the time and date, the name of the student and the reason for the arrest (emulate procedure outlined in policy JCABC, Interrogations).

Regardless of whether or not the officer has a legal process document in his/her possession when the student is taken into custody, the principal should make every effort to inform the student's parents before the arrest is made, or as soon thereafter as possible if the student's parents were unavailable at the time of the arrest and such notification shall be documented.

Ref:     U.S. Constitution, Amend. IV

U.S. Constitution, Amend. XIV, Sec. 1

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:416, 17:416.3

New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325, 105 S.Ct. 733

Board minutes, 12-4-01

Monroe City School Board