In the wake of the recent sniper shootings, which included the Oct. 7 attempted murder of a 13-year-old boy as his aunt dropped him off at his middle school in Bowie, Md., Charlottesville City Schools have increased security during times when students are entering and leaving the school.
According to Sgt. Phillip Brown, who oversees the resource officers designated for the school system, the City police officers covering districts near city schools have been instructed to remain near the school in the mornings and when school ends.
"The district officers are told to focus extra attention on the school during opening and closing time," Brown said. We want "to create a sense of visibility."
Brown emphasized that these officers are different from the school resource officers, who remain at their designated school at all times for general security purposes.
Charlottesville City School Superintendent Ronald W. Hutchinson confirmed that district officers are posted at all city schools during high-traffic hours.
"In any school setting, [safety] is an area to which we pay a great deal of attention," Hutchinson said. "In response to what is going on in the Washington and Metropolitan area, we've had a conversation with the police. There is a police officer in a squad car parked on school grounds" in the morning and afternoon.
Officer Melvin R. Bishop, who patrols the district that includes Jackson Via Elementary School, said the purpose of the extra police presence, which began shortly after the attack at the Maryland school, was partially to reassure the students and teachers of their safety.
"The point is not to intimidate the kids," Bishop said. "We just want to let the teachers and the students know that we're here."
Brown said there are full-time resource officers in the three biggest city schools, Walker Upper Elementary School, Buford Middle School and Charlottesville High School.
In addition to city schools increasing security, Susie Fidler, the University director of club sports, advised all club sports teams to rethink any plans to travel to the Washington, D.C., area while the sniper is at large.
Fourth-year College student Erin Oakley, president of the Virginia Field Hockey Club, said this policy will not affect her team for several weeks.
"We don't have a game scheduled [in the Washington area] for a couple of weeks," she said. But the issue "is something we have in mind."
Oakley said that, because the game is their national tournament, they'd "probably go."
University Police Capt. Michael Coleman would not comment on whether University Police have stepped up security at crowded events such as football games.
"We are aware of the circumstances," he said. "But we don't discuss our tactical plans."
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