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Philadelphia schools institute new community patrol program designed to protect students
As city and community leaders try to find ways to protect kids from the gun violence crisis, a new program at several Philadelphia schools aims to keep students safe after the final bell rings.
PHILADELPHIA - As city and community leaders try to find ways to protect kids from the gun violence crisis, a new program at several Philadelphia schools aims to keep students safe after the final bell rings.
The folks in the blue vests outside West Philadelphia High School are community members paid to monitor dismissal, as part of the "Safe Path" program just instituted this year at eight Philly schools. The goal is to help reduce violence and make sure kids get home safely. Malik Smith was eager to get involved.
"I’m from Philadelphia and I understand, kids come to school for their education, but there’s a lot of stuff that happens to and from, you know what I mean? So, we just want to make sure they get their education," Smith explained.
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"If we hear anything about problems that might be starting, we are gonna inform Officer Neal and the other people in place. Just an extra set of eyes and ears," Safe Path monitor Tashi Grant said.
Christine Winn-Oliver got her granddaughter from school Thursday. She says a family member is there every day, but is relieved to know Safe Path is also in place.
"I just think that’s a good idea, because you got a lot of parents not able to pick up their children and, you just don’t know," Winn-Oliver stated.
Eric Rosa oversees the program and says they chose schools based on risk factors, including after school incidents.
"We’re looking at, not only being reactive to those situations, but we are looking to try and get in front of it and really build relationships with students where they trust us and, hopefully, when a problem comes, it doesn’t resort to violence. They come to us," Rosa explained.
"When you consider the vastness of the violence we’re seeing across the city, our schools are absolutely the safest place for our kids to be," Chief of School Safety for the School District of Philadelphia, Kevin Bethel said.
Roxborough High School is one of the designated Safe Path schools, but the Bethel says the deadly shooting last week happened despite all their safety efforts.
"Those individuals got out of the car with the intent of doing harm and they could care less who was gonna be in their way, so it’s going to constantly be a challenge, but we are going to meet that challenge every day," Bethel remarked.