School police report: new stop signs, tracked threats led to charges, and three hires entering academy

Lieutenant Bonaga gave a school-safety briefing that included new traffic-control measures, threat response and staffing updates.

He said new stop signs were installed at Warren Avenue and Market Street near the Promise College and Career Academy and that school police are monitoring the intersection at arrival and dismissal. "School police officer Silva stopped numerous vehicles for failing to stop at the stop signs," Bonaga said, noting several citations and three operators arrested for operating after suspension.

Bonaga described a morning when the Downey School received multiple phone threats. Thanks to training with a city detective on tracing digital sources, school police tracked the calls to a Brockton home and determined the threat maker was a 12‑year‑old student. The guardian was cooperative; charges were being filed and school discipline will follow.

Bonaga also announced that three school-police hires will begin the Falmouth Police Academy on Dec. 1 (a six-month academy) and that another officer will finish field training in January. He highlighted virtual-reality emergency training slated over Thanksgiving break and noted Sergeant Livingston manages ongoing metal-detector maintenance and updates.

Committee members thanked school police for traffic enforcement at the new intersection and for safety at athletic events and asked the lieutenant to follow up on coverage at some middle-school events.

Next steps: Bonaga said school police will continue enforcement, follow up on call-volume data and coordinate with city police for off-hours coverage.