How Indiana schools are working to keep students safe this school year

Jul 25, 2023

As students and staff members head back to the classroom this school year, district leaders tell WRTV their top priority is school safety.

"We're always studying what goes on around the nation. We're trying to keep up on what threat trends are happening," Lt. Adam Miller, Carmel Police Department, said.

Lt. Miller runs the school resource officer unit at the Carmel Police Department. In total, 21 school resource officers work in Carmel Clay Schools.

"Unfortunately, over the last couple of years, there has been some horrific school shootings, we spend a lot of time studying those and trying to learn from what happened in those districts to make sure we don't run into the same problems here in Carmel," Lt. Miller said.

One school resource officer works in every Carmel elementary school, middle school and four work at the high school. The unit uses a triad concept meaning they serve as a law enforcement officer, counselor and educator.

The summer is a busy time for the unit. Officers host youth academies and attend training and conferences.

"We hear from people who were at Uvalde, or at some of the other previous shootings around the country, we hear from them personally. So, we can learn," Lt. Miller said.

Every summer, all Carmel Police officers takes part in active threat training while school staff members participate as role players.

"By participating in active shooter training, we identified a need to actually create better interior signage for our schools," David Woodward, Director of Student Services, Carmel Clay Schools said. "A responding officer can actually show up, and we say we have an issue in room 201. They're not looking around to figure out where room 201 is."

Another step being taken to improve safety in Carmel school buildings focuses on upgrading the quantity and quality of surveillance cameras.

"Within our buildings we can track somebody, when they come in, in live, real time, we can follow them and determine exactly where they're going," Woodward said.

Both Decatur and Perry Township leaders tell WRTV the districts are also working on upgrading camera systems to improve school safety.

Perry Township is taking what a district spokeswoman calls a "proactive approach" to keeping students and staff safe.

This fall, a weapons detection system will be in use at both of the district's high schools.

"We're being as proactive as possible. It's just another step and deterrent and another tool in our toolbox for public safety," Patrick Spray, Perry Township Schools Superintendent said.

Officers have also been added to the district's police force.

Decatur Township added a new officer to the Decatur Township Police Force this summer as well.

"So we now have a total of eight. We also use canine searches as well as metal detector wanding both as a random or as needed basis and all of our schools," Emily Lemay, Decatur Township's Director of Student and Family Engagement said.

New this school year, the district has a new new clear backpack policy in place.

"So, the purpose of the policy is to prevent anyone from bringing any unsafe or unnecessary item into our schools," Lemay said.

Beech Grove City Schools is expanding the use of metal detectors to middle school this year.

Tom Gearhart, Beech Grove's Director of Operations said the district started using the metal detectors at busy athletic events and doing random checks at the high school for the first-time last year.

"It went well at the high school last year. So, in an effort to keep our kids safe, that's what we're going to do," Gearhart said.

The district also plans to add a fourth Beech Grove police officer by January.

Throughout the year, Gearhart says professional development and debriefs are ongoing with the focus on school safety.

"They could be anything from across the country, that triggers us to take a look at our own processes and go through them. And look at this didn't go very well there. What can we improve on?” Gearhart said.

He used an example from last spring when the district had pepper spray released in the building forcing an evacuation. After that incident, the district implemented a better communication system where leaders now have defined roles and responsibilities.

For Lt. Miller, in Carmel, the chance to bond with students when they aren't in trouble is what drew him to the unit.

However, keeping more than 16,000 students and more than 2,200 staff members safe comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility.

"We can't always prevent every attack from happening, but our goal is to make sure that we don't have horrible outcomes," Lt. Miller said.

We sent six questions to several school districts regarding their safety and security procedures for the upcoming school year.

Below are the responses received from each school.

Noblesville Schools

Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township

Avon Community School Corporation

Anderson Community School Corporation

Zionsville Community Schools