While students may not think about them consciously, security guards and police officers are an intrical part of Elkhart Community Schools.
In recent years, the need for school security and student resource officers has spiked, as well as the number of local schools that want them. Since the mid-1950’s, 35% of all American schools have adopted school resource officers, a 2011 school policing report from Spencer C. Weiler and Martha Cray explains. Elkhart is no exception to this trend. Everywhere one turns, there is a security guard or police officer–and one might wonder what they actually do in a day.
Security officers, being by far the largest group of guardians in Elkhart High School, are inherently visible within the school buildings. Campus Security Officer Michael “Big Mike” Johnson elaborates: “Making sure kids get to class,” is his top priority, making a point that they are committed to facilitating the educational experience of the student body. Big Mike and his fellow security officers also look out for any confrontational situations and have built a reputation for preventing altercations across the campus.
What happens when the security officers need some backup? That’s where the school police officers come in. Police officers at EHS work for area police departments and are tasked with handling situations that may be out of the security team’s scope, working in conjunction with the security team, and interacting with the students. Elkhart High School SRO’s can be found patrolling the hallways, conversing with students and staff, and ensuring that the school remains a safe environment.
The Elkhart Community School Corporation does not have its own police agency; it relies solely on outside police officers for protection. Debates about ECS creating its own police force were laid to rest shortly after Concord Community Schools made its own police department in early 2017. ECS Administrators have made clear that they are committed to their partnerships with local departments, rather than saying goodbye to the outsourcing of police officers for their school buildings. It will be many years before this community can see a true comparison between ECS police officers and the Concord Community Schools Police Department.
Whether they work for Elkhart Community Schools, the Elkhart City Police, or the Concord School Police, security guards and police officers are committed to fostering the student body’s educational experience, protecting those in every school building.
