Cincinnati Public Schools reports high student sense of safety, explains random searches and SRO roles to board
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Summary
District safety staff told the board that student surveys show about 94% of respondents felt safe at school; staff described security checks, types of metal detectors, and how searches are explained to students and parents, and discussed relationships with SROs and local law enforcement.
Cincinnati Public Schools safety and security staff reported to the board March 17 that district surveys show the large majority of students report feeling safe at school, and they outlined how the district conducts random searches, uses metal detectors, and coordinates with school resource officers (SROs) and local law enforcement.
Deputy Smith and Director William Bell summarized safety operations: security teams perform building safety checks, lead training on lockdown and evacuation drills, administer a three-question student safety survey and coordinate with principals when searches are necessary. "In our surveys, almost 94 percent of our students felt safe," Director Bell said, adding two students reported not feeling safe and staff are following up.
District staff explained the purpose and process for random searches. They stressed searches are conducted under board policy and the student code of conduct; the district does not operate with an expectation of privacy on school grounds. Security staff said searches are typically announced to a class when they occur, principals are informed and often participate, and confiscated items are handled per policy with parental notification when required. The team described three types of metal detectors in use: walk‑through units (used in some high schools), ground detectors and handheld wands; handheld devices are used when there is a targeted concern.
Trustees asked how searches and metal detectors are explained to younger students and whether random checks can cause trauma. Safety staff said staff explain the purpose to students beforehand, principals accompany security during checks, counselors are available, and the goal is safety, not punishment. Board Member Weinberg asked about parents' concerns; staff recommended parents first contact the principal for specifics and emphasized documentation and FERPA/ privacy protections.
Board members also asked about SRO roles and coordination with transportation vendors and neighborhood policing. Safety staff said SROs are primarily assigned to high schools but work districtwide; they help with bus stop issues and sometimes act as neighborhood liaisons. Trustees praised the safety team's outreach and asked for periodic data on incidents, searches, and survey results to maintain transparency.
The board took no formal action. Trustees asked staff to return with benchmarking data and periodic reports showing measures of success and follow-up on community concerns about searches and school-site safety.
