HTHA cites billing complaints
December 10, 2010
Westside extension right-of-way land acquired
December 14, 2010
The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office has offered to purchase and install new surveillance cameras and recording devices in school buses for the Terrebonne School District. Funding for the project was secured with a joint effort grant between education administrators and law enforcement.
The $97,258 gift came as the sheriff’s office was announced to be one of three Louisiana agencies to receive funds for school safety equipment distributed by the U.S. Department of Justice through its Office of Community Oriented Policing Service and the Secure Our Schools program.
During the past decade, on-board school bus cameras have been used in various parts of the nation to record not only violence and illegal activities taking place among students, but have also served as court evidence in cases where bus drivers were accused of negligence or abuse regarding their passengers.
Neither school officials nor law enforcement said either was a problem in the Terrebonne district, but the high-tech cameras are viewed by some authorities as a deterrent to such activity.
School buses are commonly cited as trouble spots, according to national reports. Statistics do support claims that they are vulnerable to drug activity and violence.
Because school districts are obligated to inform law enforcement of any illegal activities, fights or accidents, such equipment does help in supporting or dispelling claims. Officials hope by having the surveillance cameras it will be easier to prove alleged cases if and or when they arise.
Use of the cameras, according to local school district officials, is intended to enhance bus driver perception, performance and professionalism; reduce the number of school bus accidents by improving internal controls; and boost community perception of school buses, their operators and passengers. Having the surveillance systems streamlines investigations and could reduce the hours spent looking into suspected incidents.
“We think it will enhance the safety of kids when they travel in our busses,” Terrebonne School District Superintendent Philip Martin said. “We’ll have a video record of everything that happens and it takes away from somebody’s impression or interpretation of things.”
Martin believes that having the cameras might lead to more restraint regarding behavior on the part of students that know they are being monitored. “When someone knows they are being watched you would think it would be [a deterrent],” he said.
Responding to those that might claim invasion of privacy issues on installing the school bus cameras, Martin said it is all a matter of expectation and context. “If it was in their house, in their yard, I strongly agree. But it is on a public school bus. It’s not a very private arena to begin with. If there were an expectation of privacy I would be the first to respect it and would agree with that. On a public school bus that is not a whole lot of expectation of privacy,” he said.
The packages for 103 buses in the district include a digital voice recorder and two cameras for each vehicle. This equipment will be locked and is reportedly accessible only by authorized personnel.
The COPS office and SOS program has also awarded $110,366 to Lafourche Parish and $91,954 to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office. Telephone calls to each of these agencies for comment regarding their grant awards were not returned by press time.
Terrebonne School District buses are in line for installation of new surveillance system. Security cameras for the vehicles are being provided by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and were paid for with a $97,258 grant from U.S. Department of Justice programs. MIKE NIXON
