SHERIFF HALL

JAY HIGH SCHOOL
To start out I would say that everyone likes the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Jay High School. He always hangs out with and jokes with teachers and staff. Unfortunately he does very little else. I would request that he is not needed in his present capacity. In other words he doesn’t do anything so he is not needed here.

Here is a list of a few of the problems:
1) Students park any where they please…. In the front of the school, in the teacher’s parking lot, you name it. (SRO should be visible to the students in the AM as they are arriving at school, observe where they park, what they are doing, make them park in student parking, look in their cars/trucks for guns/drugs/alcohol/weapons….. get out of teacher’s lounge!)
2) Fights and contraband are normal activities during the bell. (Get out of office, walk the halls when the bell rings, it’s a small school, you should be seen. If you leave for any reason, tell someone where you are going and contact information... you were needed the other day, three kids drinking/smoking at school. Where were you? Contraband spotted in a locker by students. Where were you?)
3) Finally, there have been multiple incidents of certain older kids bullying other students. Why don’t you talk to these kids in the hall, or pull these kids out of class? You have been told who they are… give them the fifth degree and put some fear into them. If someone doesn’t do something about this it’s going to get out of control. This is your notice!
4) Drugs and Alcohol are a problem at Jay High School. I suggest search a locker occasionally, ask for permission to search vehicles, request a K9 swing by the school. The kids need to see that the SRO is doing something to combat this problem.
5) Lastly, I honestly believe that the SRO program is a good program, but, there is a need to rotate these officers to different schools at regular intervals. I appreciate the fact that a person is a “nice guy” but enough is enough, someone should be held accountable for their job. I certainly am!

If you really wanted to have these concerns addressed, why make them on a public forum and not go straight to the agency? I guess if you picked up a phone you could not remain completely anonymous. If you have a valid officer complaint, make it, but don’t hide behind a keyboard. And yes, I am posting as “Guest”, but I am not trying to slam an officer or anyone else who could be easily identified.

Reads more like he’s reporting “anonymously” information that now should be investigated. We advocate anonymous reporting of crime every day via the crimestoppers program. What he or she has written may not be a crime, it would be violation of appropriate work habits that if true are poor reflection on all employees of the Sheriffs office from the Sheriff on down. The allegations, even if they were reported anonymously should be take serious until proven true or false. The primary purpose of blogs such as this is so information can be posted anonymously for a multitude of reasons, many of which are spelled out by the creators of this web site on their home page.

First, it is obvious that these complaint's about the
SRO at JHS is someone that works there. How else would anyone even try to "guess" at what they think he should be doing during the school day(such as, keep an eye on the students to make sure they park where they should park, etc.) - so, therefore, you need to get your facts straight! If you would stop making assumptions, and we all know what that can turn a person in to, and find out what is accurate, then maybe you would find out that he does in fact, always let someone in the office know (let the secretary know, who happens to be his contact person) that he will be out of the office and where he is going and how to get in contact with him; besides, anytime he is absent from campus, he is on official business; and in the teacher's handbook, along with the Crisis Prevention Plan (in which he writes up and revises if needed), his contact numbers are listed; second, how could you even say he is not needed?????? As all schools are in the State of Florida, "a gun free zone," he is your first line of authoritative defense to protect your children and mine against a deranged gunman. Bet you would be very happy to have him there at JHS if such should ever happen, may God forbid.
I know for a fact that he is walking the halls throughout the day, checking the parking lots (students and faculty/staff) and basically, the only time he goes to his office is when he is writing up a report.
You said it yourself, he is a nice guy - one that happens to be respected by his peers and the students. Students respect him and the majority of them understand the reason why he is at JHS - to keep them safe!
Once again, if you knew the facts, you would understand that he is not legally allowed to do discipline; that is left up to the principal's. As for the teachers, it is their duty to fill out those referral forms and bring them to the office for discipline to take place by the principal(s). He isn't allowed to search the lockers. Maybe if you just ask him what his duties are, you would find out that your allegations are not justified.
If he hasn't been doing his job, why was he chosen School Related Employee of the Year for Jay High within the past few years?
He is not only the SRO for JHS, but for Jay Elementary, also. So, could it have been possible that when he was needed, as you wrote in your blog, he could have been over at the elementary school taking care of some problems?
To my knowledge, he was trying to get two lunch periods designated for 7-8th graders and one for 9-12th graders, which would cut down on any problems with the older students and the younger students. Also, he was willing to pay out of his own pocket to buy a gate at the student parking lot to keep kids from leaving campus without checking out, also, keep trespassers out, but it wasn't allowed; he tried his best, but it didn't work out; the point I am trying to make is, the effort on his part was there! I would say he is doing something (the opposite of what you have said).........so, you need to get your facts right.
On the subject of giving students the fifth degree/putting fear in them, I do believe he keeps the kids in line, when needed. Why don't you take the time to ask a few of them and maybe you would find out the truth, instead of assuming things once again.
Who says there is a problem with drugs and alcohol at JHS? How can you justify that statement? Sounds like you are the judge and jury on this one. JHS is a wonderful school, and I happen to have a child that goes there. I am proud that my child attend JHS and I can't imagine my child going anywhere else. JHS is an "A" school for many reasons - not just for FCAT, but for being a GREAT school for kids to go to, and if you have kids going to JES or JHS, I would suggest you be happy that we have our SRO around to keep them in a safe environment!
As far as the bullying, well, my understanding is that when they are sent to the office for discipline, the principal's take care of the problem immediately and appropriately. Wow, the picture you are painting of JHS is gloom and doom; I can only imagine if some parents should read this and not know the facts about JHS and how GREAT of a school it is, they wouldn't want to send their kid(s) to JHS.
As far as the statement about ...... "get out of the teacher's lounge!" - to my knowledge the only time he goes into the lounge is when he has to go to the men's restroom or get a drink out of the machine. He is seldom seen in the teacher's lounge - so if you would visit the teacher's lounge throughout the day (where the sign in/out sheet is), you would notice he is not in there, but where he is supposed to be - monitoring the hallways, checking the parking lots, and doing what is requested by the principal(s). I was told that there was going to be a K9 dog/unit come up a few weeks ago, but if I heard right, something happened with the dog and they didn't get to come up.
Out of control? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Open the newspaper up sometimes and read about some of the schools up north. Some of the problems that is reported to the newspaper/news media - Now they are out of control!
We all held accountable for our jobs. If anyone is held accountable, our SRO is, by his superior officers, and all the way up the line. I appreciate Sheriff Hall keeping our SRO at JHS and I hope he will be there for along time to come - for the safety of all at JHS - and yes, even you, the one that is complaining and saying he isn't needed. Shame on you for being so mean and unappreciative for what he really does.

Oh don't worry, the sheriff will suspend him on the recommendation of his upstanding major in charge. No investigation needed. He's done it before, he will do it again.

Welcome to Knee Jerk USA.

[DDG]

Guest from Jay. That was a very good blog and i couldnt have said it better myself.

Oh don't worry, the sheriff will suspend him on the recommendation of his upstanding major in charge. No investigation needed. He's done it before, he will do it again.

Really? When? Who? WTF? That's a new one on me.

A d2 deputy was suspended without cause or even being interviewed. Later overturned by internal investigation. Open your eyes, expand your mind.

that wouldnt be the 1st time Knee Jerk, Inc acted without cause. The admin is so bent on believing anything about deputies without really looking into it. Is it because they are anti-deputy, extemely gullible or both?

I would have to say that they were promoted or elected to positions well above their level of competency. As stated before, "can't have a plan if you don't have a clue". Time for a new sheriff.

[DDG]

"Positive Force for a Positive Change"

Back your Deputies, Support the Union, Budget Wisely....

Go after "METH" not Mexicans...

Just do what is RIGHT! Do it the RIGHT way!

The Sheriff must have made a mistake, probably thought his taks force was looking for Meth-icans.

Van Camp is an idiot.