The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training is working to enhance security measures and protocals ahead of the new school year. This intiative is aimed at combating violence on and around school campases. Subsequent to a stabbing incident at the A. F. Adderley Junior High School last semester police returned to nine schools in New Providence.
As part of this security enhancement initiative, school security officers underwent training. Director of Education, Marcellus Taylor, speaking on the issue said, “at least 30 of them, and more will be trained going forward, have been trained by the Royal Bahamas Police Force which we believe will increased their level of skill and competence in manning our schools. We are also seeking to engage more officers to be on campus, more of our officers, security officers.”
Officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force stationed on school campuses have also been trained to work in that environment. Mr. Taylor said, “some of them were trained or attended a conference in Aurora, Colorado and some of them have already been certified in this particular type of training. This is a training that is used in schools across the U.S. because of increased violence and increased need to bring more safety on the school campus. And I was informed by Chief Superindentent Hanna that some people are coming over to conduct the training here so that we can have more officers trained in that way.”
Surveillance cameras will also play a role in school security moving forward. Mr. Taylor says that, “not just the physical premises, although the physical premises, but also being able to monitor the whole campus at any point in time. So that when we don’tahve enough people on the ground the technology will help us to cover all angles and then we can strategically move from there.”
Director Taylor also said that as more officers of the police force are trained and based of their resources, school policing would be expanded as needed.
