Chicago Public Schools To Increase Security

Aug 19, 2008 2:53 PM

When Chicago Public Schools open in September, some of the schools identified as trouble spots will see improved emergency procedures and more surveillance cameras and security personnel, school officials said Monday.

The new measures come after 26 students were killed during the last school year—mostly by gunfire—and 10 more were killed during a summer of violence, according to Chicago Public Schools.

Getting rid of firearms from schools is a top priority says Andres Durbak, director of the city schools' Office of Safety and Security.

"At schools we can deal with fights," Durbak told the Chicago Tribune. "But we cannot have fights including weapons."

Neighborhood violence, particularly gang violence, also impacts school security, says Durbak, who oversees a budget of more than $50 million for the security of 409,000 students at 600 schools.

"Severe gang violence in the area affects our schools," he told the newspaper. "When something happens in the evening, it comes and visits us in the morning."

He has identified 10 areas and schools that are targeted for additional help. While overall funding for safety at schools was not increased, more resources will be channeled to schools in areas with a high crime rate.

Although Durbak declined to give details about the new measures, he did say there would be more security personnel and surveillance cameras.

The system now has surveillance cameras in 210 schools after spending $2 million on cameras last fiscal year. An additional $1 million will be spent on cameras this year.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue