Doral Will Increase School Security with Assigned School-based Police Officers
At the August 8th Council Meeting, Mayor & Council approved moving forward with a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) for increased school safety in Doral. Following the tragedy earlier this year at Parkland, City leadership has diligently explored viable solutions to ensure the safety of our students, while being mindful of existing jurisdictions. With this MOU, the City will partner with M-DCPS to assign school-based law enforcement officers to four Doral public schools.
Dr. Ronaldo Espinosa K-8 Center, Eugenia B. Thomas K-8 Center, John I. Smith K-8 Center and Dr. Toni Bilbao Preparatory Academy will now have an officer present for the entirety of the school days. The primary mission of these sworn and armed officers will be to support the M-DCPS by providing a visible deterrent to crime and a safe learning environment for all students and staff.
“It’s important that our students feel safe when they go to learn and that parents feel that their children are being protected,” stated Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. “This partnership with the School Board is certainly a step in the right direction as we come together for the common goal of achieving that secure and conducive school environment that our families deserve.”
This agreement will run until June 30, 2019, the end of School Board’s Fiscal Year 2018-2019, during which the School Board will provide the City with funding in the amount $35,088.00 per school, for a total of $140,352.00.After this incoming school year, there is an option of two separate 1-year renewals for the School Board’s Fiscal Year 2019-2010 (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) and the School Board’s Fiscal Year 2020-2021 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021).
The City is currently in negotiations with charter schools in Doral to potentially move forward on a separate MOU for similar school safety services. That proposed MOU will go to before Council for their consideration very soon.
I do not think private business should get tax payer assigned Police as security BUT there are exceptions to everything and when it comes to school’s I certainly do think they HAVE to assign police and think this is a GREAT idea .
This is truly NEEDED and during these school hours (plus bit before and after) , police which would be on duty patrolling can instead be assigned to schools .
I am glad this is being done and hope it is done every where in the country .