The Sedona-Oak Creek School District has requested that the Sedona Police Department conduct a security review of Sedona Red Rock High School and West Sedona School.
SOCSD Superintendent Tom Swaninger said that the review is not a response to any threat received by the district.
“The surroundings of Red Rock [High] have changed over the last few years with the addition of a hotel, a shuttle parking lot and with increased tourist traffic,” Swaninger said. “Accordingly, we have heightened awareness of this, we’re vigilant and we are fortunate to have a school resource officer on site.”
Swaninger did not specify what security changes at the schools the review may provoke. SRRHS administrators have stated a belief that the campus is too open for people to walk onto and that barricades may be warranted; however, that is not the district’s position at this time.
“Regarding a district official position [on being too open], that is determined by Governing Board vote and by policy,” Swaninger said. “As a lifelong educator and school administrator, I can ensure that the assessment of campus security is always in action and always a priority as it must be. All schools must evaluate their surroundings relative to security.
“Although the campus security review may lead to changes, please know that our assessment of campus security is in continuous analysis, leading to improvements where needed.”
“We hope to complete the assessment in the next few weeks, and it’s Sgt. Brandon Bergstad who will be conducting the assessment, in coordination with School Resource Officer Michael Lucas and school principals,” city of Sedona Communications Manager Lauren Browne said.
A date for the assessment has not yet been scheduled.
“It hasn’t been delayed, but because it’s time-intensive and involves going into classrooms, the police department is working to choose the best time with the least disruption to the school,” Bergstad said.
“[The review] does give a framework for organizations or places to use to figure out how to fortify and make their place safer, that’s usually what the goal is,” Lucas said during the SRRHS site council meeting on Oct. 16. “The thing that I learned from the other [school resource officers], whenever I brought it up, was that once that’s done, the school can do grant requests and write grants to try and get that stuff paid for rather than find the money themselves.”
