Request for Proposal Paper and Presentation
krzoff
profile_and_observations_slides.pptxProfile and Observations
Student population: 1,372
54% male, 46% female
71% of students are categorized as economically disadvantaged
83% minority enrollment
East Boston High School (EBHS), located within a residential area at 86 White Street in East Boston, Massachusetts, is one of twenty-seven high schools in the Boston Public School System. The school has a student population of 1,372 pupils in grades nine through twelve; seventy-one percent of the students are economically disadvantaged. According to U.S. News (2016), “The student body makeup is 54 percent male and 46 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 83 percent” (East Boston High School).
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Profile and Observations
School police force
3 officers: 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, 1 officer
Duties:
Emergency and crisis preparedness planning
Security crime and violence prevention policies and procedures
Access control, communications capabilities, intrusion detection systems, perimeter security, and physical design
Professional development training needs relating to school safety and emergency planning
The school employs three full-time high school police officers, a lieutenant, a sergeant, and an officer. The officers’ duties include:
• School emergency and crisis preparedness planning
• Security crime and violence prevention policies and procedures
• Physical security measures including access control, communications capabilities, intrusion detection systems, perimeter security, and physical design
• Professional development training needs relating to school safety and emergency planning (East Boston High School, 2016)
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Profile and Observations
Strong gang influence
MS-13
Three student deaths
Recent police raid netted 37 gang members
Parents have voiced concerns at community meetings
Recent police raids around Boston resulted in thirty-seven arrests and revealed a strong gang influence, notably MS-13. Parents of the high school’s students have expressed concern about pressure for the children to join the group. Three students have died from gang related activity since September 2015.
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Profile and Observations
Perimeter
Decorative iron fence
Gated driveway, adjoining parking lot has no gate
Three of eight perimeter lights are inoperable
Exterior
Bollards block west entrance
Three exterior CCTV cameras
Standard doors with shatter-resistant glass
Windows and doors contain vibration sensors
Perimeter
The school’s borders consist of White Street to the South, Brook Street to the West, a school driveway to the North that merges with a parking lot to the East. A three foot iron fence exists, but it is mostly decorative; the driveway has a lockable gate, but the parking lot does not. Trees line the north and east perimeters forming an aesthetic barrier between the campus and residences. Eight lights run along all sides of the school, three of the lights are inoperable.
Exterior
The campus has bollards along the walkway's west entrance that block vehicle access to the doorway and grassy areas. The school employs one surveillance camera at the main entrance (south), one camera at the parking lot entrance (east), and one camera at an entrance on the north side. The entries consist of standard doors with shatter-resistant glass and emergency exits consist of solid metal fire doors that only open outward. All entries contain continuity sensors that sound an audible alarm and send a signal to the security system console when the door opens during after hours. Windows have vibration sensors that will activate if breakage occurs or when the window opens after police arm the security system.
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Profile and Observations
Interior
12 CCTV cameras
Police patrols
11 PIRs
Contracted after hours alarm monitoring
Emergency Procedures
Evacuation drills
Minimal shelter-in-place/active shooter drills
Interior
EBHS police maintain a security office adjacent to the teacher’s lounge. The room houses the alarm monitoring system, CCTV monitors, and video recording system. The video system consists of three exterior cameras and twelve cameras located in the hallways. EBHS police post at the main entrances during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. There are eleven passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors within the facility located near entry and egress points; there are no PIRs inside the classrooms. The city of East Boston contracts after hours alarm monitoring with a private company.
Emergency Procedures
The staff conducts regularly scheduled evacuation drills in compliance with state and city ordinances. The school police maintain lockdown/active shooter procedures and conduct drills; however there have been no exercises with local police and Boston response teams. Furthermore, only a small number of doors are reinforced.
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References
East Boston High School. (2016). Retrieved from http://ebhsjets.net/apps/staff/
Ramos, N. (2016). Boston Globe. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/02/13/east-boston-pinched-between-progress-and-pain/Gw5VvFpseF1uW6KLGUiyIN/story.html
U.S, News. (2016). Retrieved from http://East Boston High School. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/massachusetts/districts/boston-public-schools/east-boston-high-school-9291
