Detroit plan to use retired police for school security hits snag

Apr 11, 2006 11:17 AM

A plan to use laid-off Detroit police officers to protect the city's schools has stalled, Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company reports.
In an effort to increase school security, about 50 laid-off officers were hired by Detroit Public Schools (DPS). "We had lots of incidents with employees being robbed in parking lots," says DPS spokesperson Lekan Oguntoyinbo. "We had one instance in which an employee was shot."
Officers like Annette Janice are wondering why they haven't been sworn in so they can carry guns and have arresting powers.
All school officers must get the authority to work as law enforcement officers in the city from Detroit's chief of police. The district's agreement with the city expired in 2004. The district updated the agreement by changing the date on the paperwork, but the officers have yet to be sworn in.
"We are confident they'll expedite it because they know how important it is, not just to the school system, but to the city and especially to the children who live in the city," Oguntoyinbo tells the news service.

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