SFPS, the Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) and Santa Fe County Sheriff today issued a joint statement as follows: “Though recent events around our country have raised concerns about school safety and security, SFPS, SFPD and the sheriff’s office have worked diligently for continuous improvement of school safety measures and procedures. Together, we are committed to maintaining a safe learning and working environment for our students and staff.
“Joint efforts have included offering active shooter training for school personnel, supported and attended by SFPD and the sheriff’s office, walking tours of school sites so law enforcement is familiar with the layout of school buildings, which is critical to immediate response in an emergency, uploading school maps into emergency dispatch so areas of need can be instantly pinpointed and addressed and chain of command training for security aides across the district to enforce a culture of responsibility.”
SFPS protocols to prevent security breaches on campus include school safety aides, a focus on prevention, relationship and trust, alarm systems, cameras, communication devices and locks, student and staff training through at least 13 annual drills, yearly unannounced safety audits, perimeter fencing, single point of entry, including a vestibule/double entry system, in school buildings, staff monitoring of arrival and dismissal times, the Raptor visitor management program, intercoms for visitor screening, RhinoWare door hardware, a threat assessment protocol, electronic access control and a mobile safety app. In addition, all SFPS schools’ safety plans have been approved by the New Mexico Public Education Department.
Further, SFPS has implemented See Something, Say Something, part of the Sandy Hook Promise, to encourage all if you see it, to report it. Through the Say Something anonymous reporting system, anyone can submit secure, anonymous safety concerns to help someone who may hurt themselves or others. All you do is submit a tip through Sandy Hook’s secure website or call its 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-844-5-SayNow (1-844-572-9669).
Supporting this effort is the SFPS Code of Conduct, which “details the expectations for responsible behavior and describes a disciplinary process that will be equitably applied in a way that is age appropriate, consistent and socially just.”