(A) Purpose. To establish in LaPorte County a County School Safety Commission to promote school safety.
(B) Secured school safety program; definitions and general provisions.
(1) Definitions.
ADM. Refers to the average daily membership determined pursuant to I.C. 20-43-4-2.
COMMISSION. Refers to a county school safety commission as established under I.C. 5-2-10.1-10 (I.C. 5-2-10.1-0.3).
COUNTY. Refers to LaPorte County, Indiana.
FUND. Refers to the Indiana Safe Schools Fund as established under I.C. 5-2-10.1 and I.C. 10-21-1 (I.C. 5-2-10.1-1).
INSTITUTE. Refers to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute established under I.C. 5-2-6. (I.C. 5-2-10.1-1.5).
SAFETY PLAN. Refers to any school safety plan required by the Indiana State Board of Education (I.C. 5-2-10.1-1.7).
SCHOOL SAFETY SPECIALIST. Shall be designated by each school corporation in accordance with each school corporation's policy.
SCHOOL SAFE HAVEN PROGRAM. Refers to a school program established and operated by a school where the school must be open to students of the school before and after normal operating hours and where the program operates with a plan to reduce alcohol, tobacco or drug abuse; reduce violent behavior; or promote educational progress (I.C. 5-2-10.1-8).
(2) General scope and intent. By the establishment of a County School Safety Commission, county shall have access to grants from the Indiana Safe Schools Fund, established pursuant to I.C. 10-21-1-2, and with the intent to provide grants to establish programs under which a school corporation or charter school may employee school resource officers, conduct a threat assessment of its building(s); and/or purchase equipment and technology; restrict access to school property or expedite notification of first responders (I.C. 10-21-1-2, (a) - b)).
(C) County School Safety Commission; members; duties.
(1) County School Safety Commission: members. In accordance with I.C. 5-2-10.1-10, there is established the County School Safety Commission which shall consist of the following individuals or their designees:
(a) The school safety specialist for each school corporation located in whole or in part of the county;
(b) The judge of the court having juvenile jurisdiction in the county or the judge's designee;
(c) The sheriff of the county or the sheriffs designee;
(d) The chief officer of every other law enforcement agency in the county or the chief officer's designee;
(e) A representative of the juvenile probation system, appointed by the judge described under division (C)(1)(b) of this section;
(f) Representatives of community agencies that work with children within the county;
(g) A representative of the Indiana state police district that serves the county;
(h) A representative of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Indiana who specializes in the prosecution of juveniles;
(i) Other appropriate individuals selected by the Commission (I.C. 5-2-10.1-10 Version a).
(2) County School Safety Commission: members powers and duties. In accordance with I.C. 5-2-10.1-10, upon establishment the County School Safety Commission:
(a) The school safety specialist of the school corporation having the largest ADM shall convene the initial meeting;
(b) Hereinafter, the Commission shall:
1. Annually elect a chairperson;
2. Perform a cumulative analysis of school safety needs within the county;
3. Coordinate and make recommendations for the following:
a. Prevention of juvenile offenses and improving the reporting of juvenile offenses within the schools;
b. Proposals for identifying and assessing children who are at high risk of becoming juvenile offenders;
c. Methods to meet the educational needs of children who have been detained as juvenile offenders;
d. Methods to improve communications among agencies that work with children;
e. Methods to improve security and emergency preparedness;
f. Additional equipment or personnel that are necessary to carry out safety plans; and,
g. Any other time the Commission considers necessary to improve school safety within the school corporations within the Commission's jurisdiction;
4. Provide assistance to the school safety specialists on the Commission in developing and requesting grants for safety plans;
5. Provide assistance to the school safety specialists on the Commission and the participating school corporations in developing and requesting grants for school safe haven programs under I.C. 5-2-10.1-7, if such program is recommended by the Commission; and/or
6. Assist each participating school corporation in carrying out the school corporation's safety plans.
(c) The affirmative votes of a majority of the voting members of the Commission are required for the Commission to take action on a measure, pursuant to I.C. 5-2-10.1-10(f).
(d) A Commission shall receive the school safety plans described in I.C. 20-26-18.2-2(c) for the school corporations located in the county; the Commission may share the school safety plans with law enforcement agencies, pursuant to I.C. 5-2-10.1-10(g).
(Ord. 2000-02, passed 3-7-00; Am. Ord. 2013-06, passed 8-7-13)