Loveland, Ohio – Police Officer Angela Smallwood has been assigned the official role of School Resource Officer (SRO) at the Loveland City School District. Smallwood, who remains an employee of the Loveland Police Department, will serve full-time as SRO on the Loveland Middle School/Intermediate School campus.
“We are very excited to have Officer Smallwood join us, and it adds yet another level of protection in our overall district safety plan,” said District Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “We are grateful for the ongoing and deepening relationship with the police department, which not only allowed us to add Officer Smallwood this year, but also SRO Jesse Moore to Loveland High School last year. This is a big win for all students and staff at the Loveland City School District.”
Officer Smallwood came to Loveland in 2006 and is certified in bike patrol and as a field training officer.
Part of being ready for school means making sure buildings and staff are prepared for what the new year holds. Over the summer, the Loveland City School District, like many other districts in our area, took several measures to improve safety and security for students and staff.
In Loveland, these safety updates include improved rapid room number identification on all exterior windows to assist first responders. We have also equipped all classrooms with an additional locking device. We have implemented the Raptor visitor management system, an on-the-spot legal identification sign-in software for all visitors – including parents – to our buildings. Using a legal form of identification, the Raptor system checks the visitor’s name and date of birth against a national database of registered sex offenders, and ensures that such individuals do not enter the school campuses without our knowledge.
A well-informed staff and student body is our first step toward the goal of a safe and secure campus. As part of our safety education, the district implements a schedule for practice of the ALICE model (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) for active shooter civilian response. The students at Loveland High School (LHS) have already attended an ALICE safety presentation this school year, focusing on the response in the event of a crisis situation. Several opportunities for follow-up presentations and training are scheduled for this year and will be accompanied by class discussions.
We have implemented the Raptor visitor management system, an on-the-spot legal identification sign-in software for all visitors – including parents – to our buildings. Using a legal form of identification, the Raptor system checks the visitor’s name and date of birth against a national database of registered sex offenders, and ensures that such individuals do not enter the school campuses without our knowledge.
Officer Jesse Moore is now a full-time, on-site school resource officer (SRO) at Loveland High School.
In partnership with the Loveland Police, we are also very excited to have been afforded the opportunity to add Officer Jesse Moore as an on-site, full-time school resource officer (SRO) at LHS. In addition to being available for the overall safety for students, staff and visitors on the LHS campus, Officer Moore will provide educational programs for students in areas such as social media awareness, Fourth Amendment rights, and general laws and driving regulations. With a unique ability to build positive relationships, he will also play an important role as a mentor for our high school students. Mr.Barnes, a retired policer officer, will continue to serve Loveland Middle School and Loveland Intermediate School as SRO. Mr. Almond also returns to support the safety of students at LHS. We are grateful to have the support of the Loveland Police and know this positively impacts the experience our students have in our schools and community.
Mental health and safety are also high priorities at Loveland. The district has entered a partnership with the Cincinnati nonprofit Grant Us Hope to implement Hope Squad, a school-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention program empowering students and staff with knowledge to identify at-risk behaviors for suicide, as well as encouraging peers to seek help from a trusted adult. Advisor training, general staff training and student ambassador identification/training in Loveland will be completed this fall, with an anticipated launch of Hope Squad in January of 2019.
I am immensely grateful for the implementation of these safety measures and for the ongoing assessments and long-term planning by the Loveland District Safety Committee. Our work is continuous to ensure that we always strive for the most trusted and integrated school safety technologies to keep our Tigers safe. Comprehensive facility upgrades will be needed before we can approach some aspects of safety and security in our buildings, and they will be addressed in the Loveland City School District facilities master planning process as it unfolds over the coming months. As always, my number one priority as superintendent of Loveland City Schools is to provide a safe and nurturing environment to prepare each student for tomorrow, today.
In Service to Our Tigers.
Dr. Amy Crouse is Loveland City School District Superintendent
Loveland chiropractor Douglas Portmann, DC at Wards Corner Chiropractic & Sports Rehab is one of the best chiropractors in the Loveland area,
“Loveland City School District Board of Education adopts new policy to further strengthen school security.”
Loveland, Ohio – A Press Release from the Loveland City School District:
Recognizing that ensuring the safety of staff and students is of the utmost importance, and recognizing that school safety can be enhanced through the use of school resource officers (SROs) who can carry weapons while on duty at school – at the September 18, 2017, Loveland Board of Education Business Meeting – in a unanimous vote – Board Members approved a resolution establishing a new policy for SROs. The policy authorizes the Board to grant permission to individuals serving the district in the SRO position to carry firearms on school premises.
“This issue came about due to the retirement of Fred Barnes from the Loveland Police Department. When Officer Barnes worked officially with Loveland Police, he was armed – even as he served our district as a school resource officer. Due to his retirement serving in that capacity and rehire by the district – we knew we needed to address this. The district worked closely with the Loveland Police Department in the development of this plan that will both address this current situation and continue to enhance the security we provide to our students and staff,” said Loveland Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “I thank our Board of Education for taking action to allow our school resource officers to be fully equipped to respond to any crisis situation.”
Specifically, the Board can now authorize any employee or independent contractor serving in the position of School Resource Officer to possess a firearm on property of the Board provided that the individual has satisfactorily completed an approved basic peace officer training program, unless the person has completed twenty years of active duty as a peace officer, and that the individual completes an annual firearms requalification program approved by the executive director of the Ohio peace officer training commission.
Individuals authorized by the Board to carry firearms must attend and complete any necessary training required by law and any additional training which may be required by the Board before such individuals may carry a firearm on school premises. Certification of completion must be provided to the Board.
Any person not specifically granted permission by the Board is strictly prohibited from carrying firearms or other deadly weapons on school property except in accordance with Ohio law.
Department, will serve full-time as SRO on the Loveland Middle School/Intermediate School campus.
