SILSBEE, Texas — Many Southeast Texas students are getting ready to head back to school for the 2022-23 year, and district officials are doing final security check-ups.
After the mass Uvalde school shooting, many school districts are reevaluating their safety procedures. The deadly shooting claimed the lives of 21 people, 19 students and two teachers.
The Texas Education Agency mandated a summer safety audit. Silsbee Independent School District officials said they are committed to taking a proactive approach.
Robert Smith is the Silsbee ISD police chief. He said a fourth officer was hired on to the district's police force during the summer.
The addition of another officer not only allows them to have police presence at all four of the district’s campuses, Smith believes it will shorten their response time.
"That will make a huge difference on our ability to respond to the campuses and to meet the needs of our students," Chief Smith said.
Chief Smith said the focus is to get ahead of any school threats. Officers will be able to assess any behavioral risks within schools that could lead to threats.
"The security is never going to be completely static,” Chief Smith said. “You're always going to have changes. You're always going to have new ways to do bad things, and we just have to play a defense."
In accordance with the TEA’s updated school safety plan, Silsbee ISD officials have ensured that all exterior and interior doors are secured. Officials have also trained staff and threat assessment team members on their safety plan.
“We're going to really focus on our doors,” Chief Smith said. “We're really going to focus on entryways and making sure doors, interior doors are locked and secured, and exterior doors and also access control. If you're on campus you'll need, we'll try to make sure that everybody on campus has business to be there.”
Chief Smith said school safety has always been a top priority. However, after recent and tragic events, he and the rest of the force are laser focused on keeping students and staff safe.
"Re-evaluate, re-assess and just make sure we are prepared to deal with any unfortunate event should it ever happen,” Chief Smith said
There's also ways students and parents can assist Silsbee ISD police in preventing threats.
"We have STOP programs on campus where parents and students, if they see or hear something suspicious, they can stop it and tip anonymously,” Chief Smith said.
Chief Smith said the district has a mutual aid agreement with Silsbee Police to make sure both agencies are prepared to respond and assist in the event of a school threat.
"Really just kind of doing the best we can for our students, and our staff, and our families, and our stakeholders and our community as a whole,” Chief Smith said