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Elizabeth James Tallman
Local police officers and sheriff’s deputies hope to partner with Head Start to improve security for the school readiness program.
Members of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 673 want to provide safety training for teachers and teachers’ aides within the program, said Sgt. Julie Dean, chapter president. Hamilton County has 14 Head Start sites, including its main location on Ocoee Street in Avondale.
National news of divorced parents taking children from schools prompted talk of tighter security at a board meeting earlier this month, Sgt. Dean said.
“You have so many domestic problems going on, so many kids getting snatched, you get to the point where you just get so comfortable with your surroundings that you think it’s never going to happen to you,” she said. “If we can save anybody any grief, it’s worth it.”
Officers will volunteer to instruct staff about maintaining a secure building, including documenting visitors in a log, questions to ask visitors and ensuring doors and windows are locked, she said.
The local is determining whether it can provide donated security equipment, including cameras, to the program.
Members of the Chattanooga Police Department SWAT team also will walk through all the buildings and plot floor plans in case they are needed during an emergency.
The union local will begin hosting classes as soon as administrators request it, Sgt. Dean said.
Head Start board members are meeting Wednesday to discuss the proposal.
Elizabeth James Tallman, policy council chairwoman for Hamilton County Head Start, said she appreciates the initiative taken by the police officers.
“It’s just very exciting and encouraging for us that the police department has shown an interest in our students,” she said.
