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CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN SAN DIEGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AT A TIME WHEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S POLICE
FORCE MIGHT BE SHRINKING. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED AS ONE AS 16 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAS ITS
OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE OFFICERS SERVE AS THE EYES AND EARS AT LOCAL CAMPUSES. OVER
THE PAST FOUR YEARS THE DISTRICT'S POLICE BUDGET HAS BEEN SLASHED BY 45%. JOINING ME
NOW ON MORE OF THE STORY IS EDUCATION REPORTER ANNA. WHY DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEED ITS
OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT?
YOU'RE RIGHT. MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN --IN CALIFORNIA THERE ARE 16
SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH THEIR OWN DEDICATED POLICE DEPARTMENTS. BUT THE SCHOOL CRICKETS
TEND TO --BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TEND TO BE THE LARGEST. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 132,000
STUDENTS. 22,000 SCHOOL WORKERS. SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE. IT'S LIKE ITS OWN LITTLE
CITY. YOU HAVE A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES FOR ATTENTION ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE TEENAGERS
AND KIDS. A LOT OF OUTSIDE FORCES SHOW UP ON THE CAMPUS WHETHER IT'S DRUGS, VIOLENCE,
OR GANG ACTIVITY.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? IS THAT THE CRIMES THEY ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH?
YEAH WHEN IT COMES TO THE RECENT REPORT THERE HAS BEEN A 15% INCREASE OVERALL IN TERMS OF
CRIME ON CAMPUS. AND VIOLENT CRIME THE VIOLENT CRIME RATE IS GOING UP 31% AND THAT INCLUDES
ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON ON CAMPUS. IT COULD ALSO BE A ROBBERY AND IT COULD ALSO
BE JUST PHYSICAL FIGHTS BATTERY. YOU ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY CRIME AS WELL
AS A WEAPONS VIOLATION. FIREARMS AND KNIVES ON CAMPUS. I DO WANT TO SAY WE HAVE TO TAKE
A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK THIS YEAR.
THEY ARE TRYING TO SHOW THIS IS A PROBLEM IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH. YOU NEED US. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE NUMBERS ARE NOT INFLATED.
RIGHT. I DO WANT TO GET TO THAT MOMENTARILY. HOW WOULD THE 45% CUT WE TALKED ABOUT EFFECT
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ITSELF? WOULD WE SEE OFFICERS CUT OUT OF THE FORCE?
THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING. THE SCHOOL POLICE CHEF DON BROWN SAID WE HAD A 45% INCREASE
AND 45 POSITIONS HAVE BEEN CUT. THESE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS ARE DEDICATED TO SCHOOLS.
THEY MAKE THEIR ROUNDS. THEY HIT THE PAVEMENT. THEY ARE OUT MEETING WITH KIDS. THEY HAVE
SPECIAL TRAINING IN DEALING WITH KIDS. THEY ARE ALSO LIKE COUNSELORS.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS BEING POLITICAL SEASON. PROPOSITION J. PARCEL TAX WOULD RAISE MONEY
FOR THE SCHOOLS. BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME CRITICISM LEVEL THAT MAYOR SANERS FOR HOLDING A SERIES
OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS WHICH IN A WAY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF PROPOSITION D. IS THAT THE REAL REASON
THAT WE'RE NOW HEARING ABOUT THE INCREASE IN CRIME IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT?
YEAH. YOU DO SEE SOME PARALLELS IN WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH CITY POLITICS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLITICS. BOTH ARE LOOKING AT HUGE BUDGET CUTS. IN THE DISTRICT YOU ARE SEEING MORE
OF DISTRICT OFFICIALS GETTING OUT THERE WITH THESE NEWS CONFERENCES TO MAKE A CONNECTION
IN VOTERS MINDS WE NEED TO PRESERVE THE DEPARTMENTS. THIS IS THE WAY WE CAN DO IT BY FINDING EXTRA
REVENUE. AND IN PROPOSITION J WHICH WOULD RAISE $50 MILLION ANNUALLY WOULD HELP THEM
DO THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.