Partnering to Reduce School Crime

1. Partnering to Reduce School Crime Collaborative Efforts to Reduce School Crime Referrals in Hennepin County

2. Presenters Minneapolis Public Schools Jason Matlock, Manager Office of Emergency, Management Safety and Security Jim Johnson, Director of Student Support Services Minneapolis Police Department Lt. Andy Smith, Commander Juvenile Unit Hennepin County Attorney’s Office Tom Arneson, Manager Juvenile Prosecution

3. Partnering to Reduce School Crime • Need Partnership among Schools, Police and County Attorney • Minneapolis Public Schools • Minneapolis Police Department • Hennepin County Attorney’s Office • Shared Vision • Consistent Policies and Practices

4. Characteristics of Hennepin Co School Crime 2006-2007 School Year Type of Crime: • 50% Disorderly Conduct • 25% Assault • 9% Property • 8% Theft/Receiving • 4% Weapons 2,513 total referrals for crimes in school Level of Offense • 46% Juvenile Petty Offense * • 40% Misdemeanor • 7% Felony • 6% Gross Misdemeanor * Includes primarily offenses that would be misdemeanors if committed by an adult, where youth has 0 or 1 prior adjudications for misdemeanor level petty offense.

5. Why Re-Examine Juvenile Justice Response to School Crime? • Relatively minor behavior being criminalized, may have been addressed in the past within the schools • Juvenile justice response is not immediate • Juvenile court options for intervention limited • Is school safety enhanced? • A good use of juvenile justice resources?

6. Assumptions Underlying School Crime Responses • School learning environments should be safe, secure and orderly for students, teachers, staff, and guests • Students should be attending school and achieving educational success • Responses to misbehavior should be timely, proportional, and graduated • Juvenile justice involvement should be reserved for more serious offenses and youth who do not respond to in-school or alternative interventions

7. County Attorney Strategies • Encouraged schools and law enforcement to address minor misbehavior within schools • Diversion Opportunities • “Letter Diversion” for de minimis misconduct - Notify parents and ask them to address behavior • Formal Diversion Programming • Juvenile Petty Offenses – Restorative Justice Programming • Focus on Disorderly Conduct Referrals • Disorderly Conduct cases referred by schools generally handled by “Letter Diversion”

8. County Attorney Strategies Serious cases still will be referred to court. Criteria determine a serious case: • Facts of case are serious • Respondent already has case open in court • Law enforcement indicates disciplinary interventions at school have been attempted with no change in behavior • Previous diversions

9. Minneapolis School Crime Referrals 2006 to 2012

10. Juvenile Crime Referrals 2007-Present

11. Minneapolis School Crime ReferralsOffense Type 2006-2007 School Year 2011-2012 School Year

12. Minneapolis School Crime ReferralsOffense Severity 2006-2007 School Year 2011-2012 School Year

13. Tom ArnesonHennepin County Attorney’s Office Desk: 612-348-9717Cell: 612-991-8489Email: tom.arneson@co.hennepin.mn.us

14. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime • In 2008 MPS and MPD restarted their partnership • This was directly related to Mayor Rybak’s Blueprint for Reducing Youth Violence • There are 16 officers, 1 sergeant, and 1 school patrol agent assigned to the SRO unit • MPS also made a change in philosophy around the difference between behavior and crime

15. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime 89% of the documented contacts by the SRO’s are during positive interactions

16. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime 62% of the documented criminal incidents DO NOT end in arrest or citation

17. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime ONLY 9% of the total suspensions also end in an arrest or citation

18. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime Numbers are nice, but what do they really tell you?

19. MPS and MPDPartnering to Reduce School Crime Jason Matlock Minneapolis Public Schools Office of Emergency Management, Safety & Security o) 612-668-0178 c) 612-290-0056 jason.matlock@mpls.k12.mn.us

20. School Resource Officer Selection Why Officers have been selected in the past • Seniority • Low production numbers on the street • Not wanted by other units • Consistently in “trouble”

21. Having the right people is EVERYTHING!

22. Eight Essential Criteria for SRO Selection Likes Kids (Yes, it should be obvious) Has the correct demeanor and people skills Has experience as a patrol officer Is able to work independently Is EXCEPTIONALLY dependable Has a history of working very hard Is or can be an effective “teacher” Very high integrity

23. Selection Process Have the interested officer submit a letter of interest (Writing/ Language sample) Panel interview that includes a school representative Ask questions that measure actual life examples that demonstrate the eight essential criteria Internal Affairs History

24. Training • Be clear about expectations from both the police department and the schools (i.e. Not there for discipline issues) • Understand special training is required • Mentoring skills • Social Networking applications (Facebook, etc.) • Mental Health issues • De-escalation techniques • Special Ed issues • Mediation skills

25. Misc. Info • US Department of Justice – Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is a great online resource. • http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?item=140 • Keep the SRO engaged with the police department - daily intelligence and info should flow both ways. (PREVENTION) • Establishing good relationships with school administration and staff is just as important as relationships with students. • Understand there will be occasional disagreements between the school and the police department • Cross train school staff and SROs.

26. Lt. Andy SmithMinneapolis Police Department Desk: 612-290-6269Cell: 612-290-6269 Email: andy.smith@minneapolismn.gov

27. Partnering to Reduce School Crime Collaborative Efforts to Reduce School Crime Referrals in Hennepin County