Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04524SSIX

TITLE: SAFER SCHOOLS FOR SAFFORD SAFFORD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT #1 IS LOCATED IN SAFFORD, AZ 150 MILES EAST OF PHOENIX. SAFFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A RURAL AREA LOCATED IN A PERSISTENT POVERTY COUNTY. TO THE NORTH AND EAST IS A HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY TRACT (9617.00), AND STUDENTS ENROLLED ARE FROM TWO PERSISTENT POVERTY TRACTS (9615 AND 9405). THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS $54,192, THE PER CAPITA INCOME IS $21,852, AND THE AVERAGE ANNUAL PER PUPIL SPENDING IS $10,725. THERE HAVE BEEN 11 KILLED AND 12 INJURED IN GUN VIOLENCE SINCE 2015. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS AND FEW RESOURCES. WE FOLLOW THE ARIZONA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S TEMPLATE FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS (SEE ATTACHED EXCERPTS). THE MOST RECENT REVISION WAS COMPLETED THIS YEAR. THERE IS A DISTRICT PLAN AND A PLAN FOR EACH SCHOOL. THE EMERGENCY OPERATION PLANS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THESE PLANS PROVIDE FOR SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO HAVE GUIDANCE IN NEARLY EVERY EMERGENCY SITUATION. THE SAFFORD SRO WHO WORKS FULL-TIME IN OUR SCHOOLS ASSISTS US WITH OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN. THE SAFFORD POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE A REVIEW OF OUR PLANS, PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE. WE CONDUCT DRILLS MONTHLY. THE DRILLS WE CONDUCT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: FIRE EVACUATION MONTHLY, 3 - LOCKDOWN, SOFT LOCKDOWN, BUS SAFETY AND STAY IN PLACE. THE PRINCIPALS TRAIN STAFF EACH YEAR, AND THE STAFF TRAIN THE STUDENTS. DRILL REPORTS ARE COMPLETED WITH A BRIEF SUMMARY. THE SRO PROVIDES GUIDANCE AND TRAINING. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF OUR DRILLS, PROVIDING OBSERVATIONS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW THE SCHOOL PROCEDURES SYNC WITH THE POLICE AND FIRE PROCEDURES. THE SVPP STATUTE ALIGNS WITH THIS PROPOSAL FOR PRIORITY COMMUNICATIONS AND TARGET HARDENING TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT. WE USED THE US HOMELAND SECURITY SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL TO HELP US DETERMINE OUR GAPS. WE RESEARCHED THE US SECRET SERVICE AVERTING SCHOOL SHOOTINGS DOCUMENTS. WE REVIEW SCHOOL SHOOTINGS WITH AVAILABLE INFORMATION TO PREVENT THEM FROM HAPPENING HERE. WE WORRY AND THINK ABOUT THIS OFTEN BUT LACK THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO INSTALL COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS. AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE A FLUID COMMUNICATION SYSTEM THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOLS. INFORMACAST IS OUR CURRENT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, BUT WE NEED PHONES AND IP PA SPEAKER SYSTEMS TO INTEGRATE WITH INFORMACAST FOR THE SYSTEM TO BE EFFECTIVE. THIS BASIC FORM OF COMMUNICATION WILL GROW EFFICIENCIES AND CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. THE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT WE WILL INSTALL INCLUDES: 1) FIRST SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION - E911 PHONE SYSTEM INTEGRATED WITH PD MASS MESSAGING, 2) PA SYSTEM WITH IP SPEAKERS FOR MASS COMMUNICATION, AND 3) VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND CAMERAS. TOTAL COST FOR THE PROJECT - $779,312, WITH THE COPS GRANT PORTION OF $500,000 AND MATCHING FUNDS OF $279,312. BEING AWARDED THIS GRANT WOULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON SANFORD SCHOOLS, CREATING A MUCH SAFER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.