Parents bring bullying concerns to engagement committee; members advised to contact police chief and school officials

A committee member reported that a family participating in a local mentoring program had repeatedly sought help after their seventh‑grade son was bullied at school and said they felt the district had not adequately addressed the problem.

Committee members described similar cases and recommended that the family contact Chief Copeland at the Keizer Police Department and the school resource officer for assistance. One committee member said she had previously worked with Chief Copeland to bring the police department and school administrators together and that the chief had accompanied her to a school meeting to press the issue.

The committee did not take legislative action but asked that the member follow up with Chief Copeland and asked staff to report back at the next meeting about available resources and school‑district policies. Committee members also discussed the limits of the city’s authority over school districts and said the police department is often the most direct local resource for safety concerns that affect students on and off school property.

No specific school or student names were published in the meeting record; the committee discussed next steps for supporting the family and for elevating the issue to city council if a pattern of unaddressed bullying emerges.