Mattawa Police Department receives school security grant

MATTAWA — The Mattawa Police Department has received a grant designed to help improve security in the Wahluke School District. The $372,750 grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mattawa Police Chief Joe Harris said some of the money will be used to hire a school safety specialist. The school safety specialist will be a new position in the school district, and will be in charge of the district’s overall security plan. The safety specialist also will review safety and security procedures at each school, Harris said.

“That really is a full-time job,” he said. The school safety specialist would not be a law enforcement officer.

The position would be different from that of a school resource officer. Harris said there’s a substantial difference between what school officials are allowed to do and what law enforcement is allowed to do.

In addition, some of the problems that come up at school don’t – and shouldn’t – require the involvement of the SRO, Harris said, and are better handled by school administrators and the safety specialist. He cited the example of a student who is disrespectful to school staff.

The school safety specialist would act as a liaison with the school resource officer. Harris said the two would work together in determining recommendations on discipline cases.

A fight between students, Harris said, would leave the kids open to assault charges, but depending on the circumstances, charges might not be warranted. The school safety specialist and the SRO could review the case and make a determination on the suitability of charges, he said.

The school safety specialist also would review the district’s existing security plans, determine what is and isn’t working, and recommend ways to improve them.

Some of the grant money could be used for new locks at district buildings and possibly for Mattawa City Hall, Harris said. Part of the money will be used for training.

While the police department submitted the application and was awarded the grant, Harris said, it was a joint effort of the MPD and school district officials. “The entire project was a collaborative effort,” Harris said.