Area districts and law enforcement discuss school safety

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - After Tuesday’s mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas, parents are wondering what’s being done to keep their kids safe.

Though policies vary between school districts, law enforcement officials agree communication is critical to responding to and potentially preventing a tragedy.

Eau Claire Police Officer Tom Xiong is Northstart Middle School’s resource officer.

“Our goal here at the school here as the school resource officer is to ensure the safety of our kids here and the staff here along with making sure that, you know, they just have a safe learning environment to come to school to,” he said.

Xiong said kids and staff prepare for the worst, doing drills to hide if there’s a threat in or outside the school.

“All the kids and staff are trained to go behind any spots in the classroom where it can be concealment for them from the intruder and they’re trained to stay there until there released by law enforcement officials,” he said.

Drills aren’t the only things law enforcement’s doing to keep kids safe.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said the state Department of Justice has provided grants for schools to harden their physical infrastructure.

It also developed a website and hotline, Speak Up, Speak Out Wisconsin, allowing people to anonymously report potential threats.

“It’s a way for students or members of the public, parents, anyone who might have information to contact the Department of Justice and have that information relayed to the local school district and, if it involves potentially criminal action, to the local police department,” Cornell Police Chief Glenn Rehberg said.

Prior to leading Cornell PD, Rehberg worked in Wisconsin DOJ’s school safety office.

He said school shooters often voice their plans before carrying them out. Even if there isn’t a direct threat, there are other indicators.

“A person with inappropriate fascination with school shooters or school violence, someone who inappropriately researchers these events that have happened before, someone who makes comments of performing such an event,” Rehberg said.

He said officers and school staff can be trained on what to look for.

While Cornell’s schools don’t have a resource officer, the district’s superintendent, Paul Schley, said his staff have a close relationship with Cornell PD.

“They know our students, they know our buildings, they know where to go, you know, where the hideout spots in our building, and they also have access,” he said. “So they have keys where they can get in if needed whether it’s for a medical emergency or any other type of emergency.”

Rehberg said people who are concerned about their kid’s safety at school should contact their district and local law enforcement.

Xiong said there will be a police presence at both the Eau Claire North and Memorial High School graduation ceremonies thought officers were planning on being there before Tuesday’s shooting. The number of officers that will be in attendance hasn’t changed.

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