Robert Lucero is correct about one thing; APS should not have to pay the bill for protecting citizens. It is absolutely the responsibility of the APD, the BCSO, and the NMSP; just for starters."The job of the school districts is to educate students," Lucero said. "The job of law enforcement is to keep our neighborhoods, businesses and, yes, schools safe."
According to the Journal (sub req); Sen. Shannon Robinson, D-Albuquerque, argued that the state does not fund district police because it's the city's job to protect the schools.
If I remember correctly; it was also Robinson who complained that APS was paying $2M to have its garbage picked up when that also, is the city's responsibility. His point was the the legislature was not going to underwrite APS' assumption of debts that are not reasonably their own.
"You are not a city within a city," Robinson said.
If they are both right; then it is up to the city council and the mayor to come up with money to foot the bill; for the police force, for garbage pick-up, and for any other expense that APS incurs and for which the city should pay.
I propose an earmarked tax. The proceeds to fund;
- protection for students while they are in school,
- after and out of school programs for children,
- and the mental health programs and other inventions that will enable a hundred thousand of our sons and daughter to grow into adults that will contribute to the community in positive ways.
...a quarter percent for our kids.
4 comments:
APS is one of the largest districts in the country AND Albuquerque is the 33rd largest city, in the US ///
with an International Airport, an Air Force Base, Sandia Labs, two major interstates, a University and two large malls ---We can not expect APD and BCSO to be responsible for APS all alone.
**If Albuquerque experienced a local disaster … City & County first responders would be stretched thin leaving several areas, including our schools, to fend for themselves in the early stages of a city wide emergency.
IT IS the responsibility of APS to protect my children, who spend a significant amount of time on APS campuses.
When they’re home … I’M responsible.
The district is just too large to rely solely on local law enforcement. How long do you want your children to wait for help?
I think we can expect APD, BCSO, and the NMSP to do exactly that.
If they are not large enough, then we need to make them larger. It a matter of priorities.
I am not advocating less protection for children, I am advocating appropriately funding that protection.
Thank you for your comment.
I see your point, but what I'm stating is that APS needs to employ their own security/first responders who can react immediately or even better - secure and prevent an incident. I don't want AKAL. I want police whose first and only priority is APS.
I'm sorry, but I do not trust some of these administrators and educators to make safety and security decisions while waiting for help. Some of these schools have thousands of children within there walls. That to me IS a city within a city.
School districts across the country are taking a proactive approach to securing their schools and providing onsight police/security. This is not a new thing!
I'd like APS to have their own qualified, trained, professional first responders. We all know that APD and BCSO will also respond ... but when minutes are of the essence it only makes sense.
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