In Light Of Sandy Hook, Calls For State To Boost Security
City Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. introduced a resolution last Tuesday, Apr. 9, calling on the state to require police departments to provide security measures for nonpublic schools equal to those provided to public schools.
Security services provided by the police would include an assessment of the security needs of the school, placement of school safety officers and the use of video cameras or metal detectors, among others.
For a number of reasons, including a decrease in enrollment and increased costs, many nonpublic schools have been forced to make budget cuts, including in security- making help from the government all the more vital.
Vallone also introduced legislation in 2010 that would provide nonpublic schools in the city with security from the NYPD equal to that in public schools.
The Council member has been strongly pushing the bill during the past several months, and following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., is once again calling on his colleagues to provide equal protection for all students.
City Council Member Fernando Cabrera has also been working with Vallone on this issue.
The city currently provides nurses for nonpublic schools because health is deemed important, but Vallone believes school security is even more important.
“Every kid is created equal, so they all deserve to have equal security in school,” said Vallone. “The type of school a student attends should have no bearing on the level of protection their government provides them. We need to provide equal protection for all kids.”
