NYC School Security Task Force Posed By Bayside Lawmaker

BAYSIDE, QUEENS -- Tragic mass shootings like the one in Parkland, Florida have sparked a national conversation on school safety, and one Queens lawmaker wants to ensure that talk turns into action.

New York City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) led the charge in a slew of bills introduced Tuesday that would create a School Security Task Force to inspect and improve the emergency preparedness, security presence and other safety measures in place at NYC schools.

“As a result of our call for greater school security, we are proud that the Council is moving forward with this package of legislation that will take a hard look at the state of school security as it exists in every school, and what we can do to improve it,” Vallone said.

He posed the NYPD Commissioner chair the task force and work alongside theDepartment of Education Chancellor and Office of Criminal Justice Director. The bill also requires the trio get input from at least one DOE teacher and guidance counselor or social worker, and at least one parent of a student in NYC public schools.

The bill poses the task force meet quarterly and report its recommendations annually to the mayor and City Council speaker.

Vallone spelled out some of the task force's potential responsibilities in three other bills he either authored or co-authored. His other bills would require the team review NYC schools' emergency communication technology at NYC schools and nonpublic schools' emergency preparedness.

He and Councilman Matteo (R-Staten Island) also introduced a bipartisan bill to require the task force review the optimal security presence at city schools.

The four bills were among a 10-part legislative package that laid out the task force's responsibilities and recommendation areas.

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson posed a law in the package that would require the task force review collaboration between NYPD, DOE and the community on schools' emergency preparedness.

Other bills would require the task force to review safety protocols for students in a mental health crisis, how the public is notified of school emergencies and emergency preparedness training for school staff.

Council members also proposed the task force review schools' evacuation plans and security technologies in place.

“In the end, you can’t put a price tag on our children’s safety and I’m proud to introduce this important legislation with our Speaker Corey Johnson and my colleagues," Vallone said.

(Lead photo via Shutterstock)