CITY, SCHOOL DISTRICT DISCUSS JOINING FORCES TO ADD POLICE PRESENCE FOR THE
MIDDLE GRADES

A 12-year-old girl, angry at her boyfriend for breaking up with her,
brought a loaded .357-Magnum revolver onto a Fremont junior high school
campus last year.

The incident at Hopkins Junior High, one of the city's most upscale
schools, ended peacefully. But it highlighted the challenge educators face
in trying to maintain a safe environment.

For years, uniformed police officers have been a familiar sight on high
school campuses throughout the nation. Now, Fremont officials want to join
the growing ranks of school districts that are placing officers in all
junior high schools as well.

Having gun-toting cops mingling daily with 12- and 13-year-olds would have
been virtually unheard-of a generation ago.

But today, 10 percent of middle schools and 19 percent of high schools
nationwide have full-time officers on campus.

Fremont educators say there are increasing signs that the problems that
used to be prevalent mainly in high school are spreading to lower grades --
due in part to the success of the high school officers.

``A lot of the drug dealers are starting to focus on the junior highs
because they know there is an officer at the high school,'' said Ken Nance,
school resource officer for Mission San Jose High. The same is true for
gang members, he added.

Fremont has had cops at all five of its high schools since 1995.

The proposal comes at a time when educators throughout the nation are
struggling with ways to prevent tragedies such as the mass shootings that
rocked schools in Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, Arkansas and Oregon in
the past year.

Critics argue that there is no proof that having officers roaming the
hallways is the best way to reduce school violence. They say money would be
better spent on after-school recreation and improving parenting skills.

But it's hard to find naysayers in Fremont, where educators report fewer
problems with student fighting, weapons and drugs since officers were
stationed at the high schools three years ago.

In 1994-95, Fremont schools had 795 suspensions and 76 expulsions for such
offenses. Two years after the officers arrived, the number of suspensions
plunged to 707 and the number of expulsions dropped to 48.

``I think he makes a big difference,'' said Irvington High sophomore
Michelle Deering of officer Howard Russell. ``Usually he knows when things
will happen ahead of time so he stops them from happening. He's real cool.
He comes down to our level. He doesn't act like he's superior to us and
knows more.''

Fremont school board members approved the plan this month. On Oct. 6, it
will go to the city council, which will consider providing joint funding.
School officials will then apply for a federal grant to help meet the
$100,000 annual cost. The goal is to have officers in the junior highs by
January.

Despite the highly publicized shooting rampages in other states, California
schools actually are getting safer, according to the most recent figures
available from the state Department of Education. In 1996-97, crimes
against people and offenses involving drugs and alcohol were down 5 percent
from the previous year.

That doesn't mean students feel safer, however, or that their parents worry
any less. Dustin Kircher, now a sophomore at Irvington High School, saw
students beat someone up over a pair of shoes when he was enrolled at
Horner Junior High.

``People were afraid to report it because they threatened them,'' Dustin
said. ``There's a lot of fights that go on there and a lot of drugs being
sold.''

For years, Fremont officials have noticed a gap in anti-crime programs at
the junior high level, said police Sgt. Curt Codey. Fremont has four DARE
officers who provide drug education in the district's 30 elementary
schools, but they go to junior high schools only sporadically.

Under the new plan, an additional DARE officer would be hired. The five
DARE officers would then spend mornings rotating among elementary schools
and afternoons at each junior high.

Officers say such assignments are old-fashioned community policing at its
best -- a throwback to the days when cops walked a beat and knew everyone
in the neighborhood.

Nance at Mission San Jose High becomes a sounding board for students with
problems at home. At Irvington High, officer Russell plays basketball with
students to help develop rapport.

``He's really not like a parent -- but our friend,'' said sophomore Brandon
Harris. ``It makes you think that some police officers are cool. People
learn how to talk things out and not use their fists.''

It's hoped students reach a point where they are comfortable confiding in
the officers.

``I've got gang members who will come in and say, `Hey, you ought to be
down at Taco Bell today,' '' Nance said. ``Unless you know the kids, that
will never happen.''

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson