Crook County School District adds second school resource officer, new security camera system
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) - The Crook County School District has announced that two full-time School Resource Officers will now be assigned to protect local students and staff.
Officer Kathyrn Bottoms, a 17-year veteran of the Prineville Police Department, will be stationed at Crook County High School. She joins longtime SRO Jeff Coffman, who focuses on Crook County Middle School. Both officers will also spend time in local elementary schools.
This is Officer Bottoms' second stint serving as an SRO for the school district, and she’s excited about the opportunity to work directly with local students and district staff.
"I had a blast connecting with students the last time I served as an SRO. After years of working patrol, I wanted to get back in the schools and do my part to build positive relationships and have a positive impact. That’s one of the biggest keys to creating a safe school environment," said Officer Bottoms.
School Board Chair Jessica Ritter says safety is a top priority for the Crook County School Board and is thankful for the continued partnership with the Prineville Police Department. Recent school violence has many parents wondering what steps schools will take to increase safety and security.
“As the mother of five children, I share the concern with other parents about the safety and security of our students. Having two full-time police officers who are trained to respond during emergencies is a huge benefit. Our district is also investing in new security camera systems that add another layer of protection and help administrators avoid student behavior issues,” explained School Board Chair Jessica Ritter.
The new state-of-the-art camera system Ritter mentioned is a new tool Officer Bottoms and school administrators are now using to help maintain safety at Crook County High School.
It includes both cameras and sensors that provide real-time alerts for video and environmental changes in air quality, such as vaping, cigarette smoke, and other potentially dangerous fumes. It also detects movement at night and during weekends and picks up odd noises or commotion that immediately alerts district staff via their cell phones. Only sensors exist in the bathrooms.
The cameras are in hallways, the commons, and other open areas. There are also cameras located outside.
“This new camera system is great. We’ve already addressed certain behavioral issues in just the first few weeks of the cameras going active. We hope that it becomes a deterrent, and the goal is to engage with students and hopefully encourage them to make safe and healthy choices,” explained Principal Michelle Jonas.
District leaders hope to install a similar system at Crook County Middle School as the budget allows. The Long Range Facilities Planning Committee is discussing additional security upgrades that would need to be funded by a future bond measure.
