Colchester, Connecticut

1411 Law Enforcement Officials

Board of Education Special Meeting 5:00 PM

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Book                      Policy Manual

Section                   0000/1000 - Community/Board Operations

Title                     Law Enforcement Officials

Code                      1411

Status                    Active

Adopted                   April 13, 2000




                                           LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS


Schools are responsible for students during school hours which includes protecting each student's constitutional
rights, assuring due process in questioning and arrest, and protecting students from any form of illegal coercion.

When police are investigating possible criminal acts which occurred, or may have occurred, on school property, or
while under the jurisdiction of the school district, they may question students at school when the following
procedures are observed:

    1. Students will be questioned as confidentially and inconspicuously as possible.

    2. An attempt will be made to notify the student's parents so that they may be present during the
       questioning. The school Principal, or his/her designee, will be present.

    3. Preferably, the officer doing the questioning will wear civilian clothes.

Because of the many support services which local law enforcement agencies provide to the schools, staff, and
students, the Board of Education supports the best possible relationship with those agencies consistent with
district responsibilities to protect legal rights of staff and students.

The Superintendent of Schools is directed to establish lines of communication with local law enforcement
agencies to effect necessary cooperation toward ensuring the security of the school facilities, the safety of
students and staff, and for better student education about law enforcement agencies.



Policy committee recommends the following wording to replace:

A reasonable and cooperative effort shall be maintained between the school administration
 and law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement officials may be summoned in order to conduct
an investigation of alleged criminal conduct on the school premises, or during a school-sponsored
activity, or to assist in controlling disturbances to the educational environment. They also may be
 summoned for the purpose of maintaining or restoring order when the presence of such officers is
necessary to prevent injury to persons or property. Administrators have the responsibility and the
 authority to determine when the assistance of law enforcement officers is necessary within their
respective jurisdictions.

At all times the school system’s administrators shall act in a manner which strives to protect and
guarantee the rights of students and parents or legal guardians, except whenever not legally viable.