School safety grant awarded to Mattawa Police Department

MATTAWA — A $372,750 grant to improve security in the Wahluke School District has been awarded to the Mattawa Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice. Police Chief Joe Harris said some of the money would be used to hire a school safety specialist.

The grant was awarded to the police department, but the application was a joint project of the MPD and the school district, Harris said.

“This entire process was a collaborative effort,” he said.

Some of the money will be used to pay for a new position for the school district. The school safety specialist will be in charge of the district’s overall security plan and the safety procedures at each school, Harris said.

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

The school safety specialist would also act as a liaison with the SRO. Harris said one of the MPD’s goals is to prevent crime as well as investigate it, and the partnership between the department and the school district is one place to do some of that work.

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.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.