“Ten years ago, HPISD didn’t even employ a security guard,” Rowden said. “Now, in addition to having four trained and well-equipped officers routinely on patrol, the district’s campuses have either been rebuilt or renovated with significantly upgraded security systems. Our children can’t learn if they don’t feel safe so we recognize the importance of our role in the education of HPISD students. Because of that, we are constantly training while evaluating our policies, procedures and equipment to ensure that we are prepared for every situation.”
Security upgrades as a result of the 2015 bond election include:
- A new camera monitoring system
- New access control systems at entry points to every school
- New communication systems
- Adherence to CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) building guidelines
“While all of those upgrades are important, as well as the additional staff to patrol our campuses, what has been most valuable are the relationships that our officers have developed with members of the community,” Rowden said. “Because students take ownership of their schools, they routinely share information both with our officers and with school counselors. That kind of communication is critical to keeping everyone safe.”
Rowden said that students are able to report on issues or rumors of concern through the Safe to Speak Up app (Apple download Google Play download) that was initially launched four years ago. Students have the ability to remain anonymous and to provide their location should they see something that they believe warrants attention from authorities. Students and parents can also report instances of bullying online here.
“In addition to improved communication with students, we are constantly sharing information with officers from the Town of Highland Park, City of University Park, SMU, the Dallas Police Department and our federal partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” Rowden said. “A significant commitment made by both the Town of HP and the City of UP nearly three years ago has been instrumental in allowing us to have additional officers patrolling our campuses. We applaud both municipalities for going the extra mile to keep our students safe.”
Rowden said the district has an emergency operations plan and that officers undergo routine safety training to be prepared for any emergency. They also remain in contact and receive intelligence from the Dallas Fusion Center, which monitors criminal activity both electronically and otherwise. Standard Response Protocol as recommended by the Texas School Safety Center has been implemented in HPISD and schools conduct drills on it regularly.
In addition, Chief Rowden is a member of the Texas School District Police Chiefs Association, an organization designed to share best practices. HPISD also has fulfilled its requirements from the recent enactment of the Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative, which requires school districts to have a safety assessment team. More safety information can be found here. The Student Code of Conduct and campus handbooks, which also have sections on safety and security, can be found here.
“Tragedies like the horrific one in Uvalde this week cause all of us to revisit what we are doing in terms of school safety,” HPISD Superintendent Dr. Tom Trigg said. “Chief Rowden and the officers who serve our schools are deeply committed to their work and we thank them for bravely putting on a uniform each day to keep our students and staff safe.”
A memorial fund has been established by Uvalde CISD at the First State Bank of Uvalde for the families of Robb Elementary. Checks may be mailed to: 200 E Nopal St. Uvalde, TX 78801, payable to the Robb School Memorial Fund.
- For Zelle donations: [email protected].
- A Uvalde Victims Relief Fund can be found here.
- Verified GoFundMe accounts to support victims' families are available here.