Police to Increase School Presence After Newtown Shooting
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering outlines what the city is doing to promote school safety in response to Friday's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Family members of victims in the Dec. 14, 2012 shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that left at least 27 dead.
Gary Jeanfaivre
Photos (1)
Photos
Friday's tragedy in Newtown, Conn. has left us all with broken hearts and worries almost too profound to say out loud.
As a parent with four school-aged children, as a member of this community, as Mayor, my first thought was "What are we doing here to keep our kids safe?" And while tragedies such as Friday's are beyond the comprehension of any of us, the question still needs to be addressed.
I just got off the phone with Police Chief Paul Shafer. We discussed his recommendations for the immediate and the long-term. I want to assure you that we are working now, as always, in partnership with our school districts to take care of our children.
As you know, we currently have established safety procedures in place in our schools. In the immediate, in an effort to assuage the understandable concerns of parents and students, our schools have coordinated with Chief Shafer a high police presence next week, with Winter Break starting on Friday. Also, school social workers will be available to speak with children who want to talk about yesterday's incident. As I've said before, public safety is paramount, and while the goal is to reassure parents and students, we also need to be cognizant of not scaring our kids.
Longer term security assessments and plans are being discussed Monday at a joint meeting of our school administrators and the Highland Park Police Department. As Chief Shafer noted to me this morning, infrastructure and building admittance procedures will be evaluated and discussed. I've shared my personal observations with him and you are welcome to share yours by emailing Police Chief Paul Shafer at pshafer@cityhpil.com as well as NSSD 112 Superintendent David Behlow at dbehlow@nssd112.org and District 113 Superintendent George Fornero at gfornero@dist113.org.
We are fortunate that we have a good team in place, working together with our community. I'm just so very sorry that we need to have this conversation.
Nancy Rotering
Highland Park Mayor
For more news and updates, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Molly
6:38 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
The Tribune, the Patch, the tv news stations, friends & neighbors all have talked of increasing safety matters, including increased gun control. What I don't hear mentioned is increased psychiatric care. Perhaps if these mass shooters had been under closer care & supervision episodes like Newtown would not happen. But instead we cut aid at our school level and above. I'm all for some form of gun control but that is not the only solution.
jbeach
8:11 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
I agree with Molly. Everyone is reacting to this horrible shooting by discussing school safety and gun control. All well and good, but the issue is Good Mental Health Care that is accessable to all and affordable. How many families struggle with a child with a personality disorder and need help? A lot. We should be focusing on this issue. What can a parent do with an adult son? How do they reach out? Where can they go for help before it escalates to violence?
forest barbieri
9:34 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
No doubt Mental Health care is an issue relative to these inconceivable tragedies as we assume anyone with good mental health could never commit such an act. Unfortunately, there is no way that even with mental health care we can be assured that either the person could still snap or that we could even assume somehow we can specifically identify those people with issues and further assume that those with the legal ability to provide said care would be proactive, recognize or be able to afford same.
We must also recognize that people that can do bad things are not always outwardly recognizable How many times in the news do you hear comments that neighbors, friends or family are shocked and surprised by a bad deed committed by an individual living within, with or in close proximity to them. They express that it was so out of character.
The Mayor is pressing the need to ensure that we as a community take all steps necessary ensuring the safety of our children as we privately mourn for those that suffered this hideous act and our own personal pain for the parents and families that must carry this with them forever. There are measures to be taken including training, vigilance and physical building improvements, including man trap doors providing a second security line of defense. Thank you Nancy for making this an immediate priority as a Mother and our Mayor.
Steve S.
9:42 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
Molly, you bring up a great point. This is not just a gun issue, but a medical treatment issue. As a society we are failing those in need of mental health care, especially in schools. The solution or at least the way to minimize risk in the future is to address the guns and the mental health. Forrest, many people comment that they are in shock after a "bad deed committed", but after the shock wears and the investigation continues we learn that in almost every case there is some history of problems that either were addressed improperly or never addressed at all.
Steve S.
9:42 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
sorry typo, Forest
The Q
4:27 pm on Monday, December 17, 2012
If HPD has time to write tickets and sit on 41 or the Edens ......then they sure have time to sit in front of a school from 9-3.
Let get our priorities straight!