School resource officer hosts school safety training

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By Photo by Adri Talavera

During their tour of the school, participants of CPTED training gather in the ISS room as Resource Officer Maurice Loridon shares information regarding disciplinary procedures. “[CPTED training] has been an eye-opener,” Jeremy Terrell, an associate from the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, said. “[Mill Valley] is a great school. I kind of wish all schools could be designed this way. There are problems here, but there’s problems everywhere.”

Claire Biles, JagWire features/A&E editor

School Resource Officer Maurice Loridon hosted 18 participants from all around the country, including California, Virginia, Vermont, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina, in a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design training on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

“The purpose of the training is for school officials, school related personnel to learn about crime prevention through environmental design,” Loridon said.

CPTED training provides strategies and building design ideas to reduce crime and improve safety at schools. The course included a hands-on evaluation of the school. Also it shows the participants tools to use in their own school to create a safe environment. The National Association of School Resource Officers offers the training, and Loridon applied to host the training at Mill Valley in the spring of 2014.

Loridon said he learned “some small things a regular police officer or school officials won’t know.”

Through tours of the school, the participants, ranging from law enforcement officers to school guidance counselors, learned things such as where to place signs or to how to layout a parking lot to improve security. Loridon used the school as an example to teach the group, but also received feedback on what the school could do better. One suggestion from the evaluation was to color the floors of each wing differently to help visitors navigate the building more easily.

Loridon said that despite the hectic atmosphere of a Homecoming dress up day, the participants were impressed with the school.

“I think they think it is awesome … you know I did not realize it when I picked the day, but we forgot it was Homecoming this week so when they walked in to school today and saw us in mismatch and all the decorations everywhere, I think they think we are a little weird but fun,” Loridon said.

John Burabec, a school counselor from Red Oak, Iowa, said he enjoyed his experience.

 

“I am very positively impressed with [the school]. The place is clean, the place is well kept, and the students seem friendly,” Burabec said.

 

 

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