District launches bus safety program with inside/outside cameras; chief to review stop-arm violations

A community relations staff member told the board the district launched a fleet-wide bus safety program that adds automatic inside and outside cameras to every bus.

"Our entire fleet has been out updated with the automatic cameras," the staff member said. The staff member said the district transportation staff completed training on how to access footage and that principals will be trained to review internal-camera recordings when appropriate.

The staff member described the vendor's flagged-violation process: when a stop arm is deployed, the camera starts recording and the system inserts a red marker on the video where a possible violation occurred. The vendor forwards flagged clips to Chief Jones, who—as the designated reviewing law enforcement officer—confirms whether a violation occurred. "If he says yes then the citation is issued to the owner of the vehicle," the staff member said. The staff member also said internal-camera clips that document student misbehavior are flagged by drivers with a push button so school principals can review them without fast-forwarding through long recordings.

The staff member said cameras became active the morning of the meeting; the staff member also noted there were three flagged events the prior Friday when the cameras had not yet been active. The district said communications about the program have been shared with parents and employees and that a Times News article covered the rollout.

There was no vote or formal policy change; the report was presented as an operational update and safety initiative. Board members asked clarifying questions about activation and citation processes during the update.