COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — The Collin County sheriff wants to install a special unit to address school safety.
He said he feels schools and law enforcement should be more proactive than reactive. There has been an uptick in the number of recent school tragedies involving active shooters on campus. Most notably, and recently, in Uvalde, which is coming up on its one-year anniversary.
"I can't be that sheriff who looks himself in the mirror after some child is injured or killed and ask myself, 'could I have done more?'" said Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner.
In late March, Skinner called all school districts, private and public, for a closed-door meeting. The sheriff wants to install a Collin County watch center for school safety to have a conversation about active threats and the constant carousel of school lockdowns.
"They'll only work on school safety...100% of their time on school safety," he said.
That special unit would be housed in the Fusion Center at the Collin County Sheriff's Office. The center is where crime analysts work around the clock and behind the scenes.
"We need more law enforcement help more than we every have before," said Watt Black, clinical professor of Education Policy and Leadership at SMU.
Black says the threats during his teaching and administrative tenure have changed dramatically over time. He's encouraged by the idea of the unit but also says there is no one answer to safety.
"What we know about school shooters is they always give hints. They always give hints. You're almost always gonna find red flags," Black said.
Skinner says he'll need 12 specially-qualified analysts working 24/7, on a 365-day basis. They'll be scouring for threats, warnings, behaviors, trends and where they've lately originated -- online and on social media.
"There's a way for us to intervene and head that off, but it takes resources. And in order to have those resources, it takes money," said Skinner.
The sheriff says he'll need full buy-in from private and public schools. He says it will take $4 a child per year to build the unit. It is a price he feels any parent would pay but he'll need to convince school boards too.
"We will meet anytime, anywhere, and any place to talk through this issue," Skinner said.
The hope is to have the unit in place by the next school year.
"I can't be that sheriff who looks himself in the mirror after some child is injured or killed and ask myself, 'could I have done more?'" said Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner.
In late March, Skinner called all school districts, private and public, for a closed-door meeting. The sheriff wants to install a Collin County watch center for school safety to have a conversation about active threats and the constant carousel of school lockdowns.
"They'll only work on school safety...100% of their time on school safety," he said.
That special unit would be housed in the Fusion Center at the Collin County Sheriff's Office. The center is where crime analysts work around the clock and behind the scenes.
"We need more law enforcement help more than we every have before," said Watt Black, clinical professor of Education Policy and Leadership at SMU.
Black says the threats during his teaching and administrative tenure have changed dramatically over time. He's encouraged by the idea of the unit but also says there is no one answer to safety.
"What we know about school shooters is they always give hints. They always give hints. You're almost always gonna find red flags," Black said.
Skinner says he'll need 12 specially-qualified analysts working 24/7, on a 365-day basis. They'll be scouring for threats, warnings, behaviors, trends and where they've lately originated -- online and on social media.
"There's a way for us to intervene and head that off, but it takes resources. And in order to have those resources, it takes money," said Skinner.
The sheriff says he'll need full buy-in from private and public schools. He says it will take $4 a child per year to build the unit. It is a price he feels any parent would pay but he'll need to convince school boards too.
"We will meet anytime, anywhere, and any place to talk through this issue," Skinner said.
The hope is to have the unit in place by the next school year.
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