School District Safety Update - 9/18/23

The mission of the Fort Bend ISD Police Department is to provide a safe environment in and around our schools and district facilities while serving as educators and building positive relationships with our students, staff and families.

• Police officers have an “Educator First” mentality, meaning we have the opportunity to educate students every day.  We don’t have to be in a classroom to be an educator. We can educate students, staff, parents and the community by the way we interact with them and by building relationships.
• This presentation is an opportunity to educate parents and the community on who we are and what we do.   

FBISD Police Department Overview

• We have 76 sworn police officers.  We assign 2 officers to each high school campus, 1 officer for each middle school campus, and 11 officers for elementary school patrol.
• We have investigators assigned to person and property crimes, child abuse, and computer forensics.
• We operate a dispatch center 24/7, where they can answer phone calls as well as monitor alarms and security cameras at any time. 
• We employ roughly 160 crossing guards that help our students cross streets safely everyday
• Our Life Safety Systems department is made up of technicians to oversee, install and repair intrusion and fire alarm systems, card access systems, security cameras, and fire extinguisher services.
• Our Emergency Management department ensures compliance with state mandates, safety audits, staff trainings, and over sight of all emergency drills at campuses.

Recognized Agency

• FBISD PD is an accredited and recognized agency through the Texas Police Chiefs Association Best Practices Recognition Program
• We voluntarily work in compliance with approximately 180 Texas law enforcement best practices.  These best practices were developed by Texas law enforcement professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of service, the reduction of risk, and the protection of individual’s rights.
• We were originally Recognized in 2016 after a complete review of our General Orders Manual, site visit from assessors, and interviews with staff. 
• While we submit proof submissions on a yearly basis to demonstrate on-going compliance, complete site visit reviews are conducted on a 4-year cycle which then establishes a Re-Recognized milestone. 
• We were Re-Recognized in 2020, and we are preparing for the second Re-Recognition in 2024

Safety and Security Master Plan

• We created a Safety and Security Master Plan in 2014 with community input, which included meetings at several schools
• The plan is designed to be a roadmap for future planning of the District’s safety and security needs
• The plan is based on four interrelated elements which are Infrastructure, Crisis Communication / Notification, Staffing, and Policies / Procedures
• Many of these security measures were funded by Bond 2014
  • Security vestibules
  • Window film
  • Security camera system upgrade
  • Card access control, to name a few 
• The Safety and Security Master Plan was updated again in 2018 ahead of the bond and with the help of a Safety Advisory Committee
• The Safety Advisory Committee was made up of 45 community stakeholders, co-led by a former Houston PD officer and a retired FBISD teacher
• The charge for the Committee was to explore safety solutions that may be added to the Safety and Security Master Plan, thus enhancing security measures already in place
• The Committee explored 14 potential new safety strategies and reached consensus that 12 of them should be recommended to the BOT, while 2 of them should not be recommended.  Those strategies included:
  • Emergency Operations Center (Completed)
  • Threat Management Program (Completed)
  • Incident reporting platform for students and staff (Completed)
  • Door locks (Completed)
  • Police officers for the threat assessment team (Completed)
  • Police officer to investigate child abuse cases (Completed)
  • Police officers to patrol elementary campuses (Completed)
  • Training for students and staff (Completed and continuing)
  • Metal detectors (Pilot program for athletic venues)
  • Fencing around portable buildings (In progress)
  • Staff and student ID badges (In progress)
  • School marshal program (Not implemented)
  • Allow approved staff to carry firearms (Not Recommended by the Committee)
  • Facial recognition software (Not Recommended by the Committee)
• The Safety and Security Master Plan is posted on the FBISD PD website for stakeholders to view.

State Mandates

• Numerous state mandates also drive activity in our police department
• We have a District Emergency Operations Plan which is reviewed annually and approved by the Texas School Safety Center
• Our Active Threat Annex and Active Shooter Appendix were approved by the Texas School Safety Center last school year. 
• We conduct legislatively required campus safety audits. We recently completed the 3-year cycle of audits which was reported to the Superintendent, the Board of Trustees and the Texas School Safety Center
• We have convened a School Safety and Security Committee that is required to meet 3 times per year at a minimum to discuss safety related topics for the district.   The Committee is comprised of Board of Trustee members, the Superintendent, staff, parents and local first responders. 
• We are subject to State mandated intruder detection audits. Last school year FBISD had 62 unannounced campus audits by Region 4 personnel which resulted in only 4 campuses with a finding where doors into a school were found unlocked.  Those were reported to the Board of Trustees at regular board meetings by Chief Rider, and reported to the School Safety and Security Committee.   
• House Bill 3, in part, mandates an armed commissioned police officer at every campus during regular school.  FBISD has 50 elementary schools which would require hiring 50 additional police officers.  The District does not have the personnel or the funds to do that.  In compliance with the law, the Board of Trustees has enacted a Good Cause Exception which allows the District to develop an alternate plan in order to meet this mandate.

Training

• FBISD PD is active in training students, staff, our community and our officers.
• Standard Response Protocol has been a part of emergency training on campuses for approximately 10 years.  This training uses plain language to direct students, staff and visitors on what to do in any type of emergency on a campus.
• ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response) is an active shooter training that all FBISD officers complete yearly.  Several FBISD PD officers are trained ALERRT instructors and we partner with other instructors in Fort Bend county to host training classes.  FBISD hosted 16 ALERRT training classes this past school year with over 350 officers from all over the country completing the training. 
• Officers are required to take mandatory school-based law enforcement training classes.  Topics include working with juveniles, de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention techniques, and understanding the adolescent brain.  
• Stakeholder training includes the CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) curriculum.  FBISD PD has instructors that teach this class to staff and community organizations alike.

Policies and Procedures – Our police department and our operations are governed by:

• Police Department General Orders – Reviewed annually as part of the Texas Police Chiefs Association recognized agency process.
• District Policy - governed by District Policy, under the CK section. 

Work With All Stakeholders

• We strive to work collaboratively with all stakeholders and build strong relationships.
• We want our students, staff and parents to feel safe in our schools and we provide them with different options to report a crime or anything suspicious. 
• Students and parents alike report crimes or suspicious activity directly to the police department as opposed to simply posting on social media.  This significantly speeds up police response time to potentially critical situations.
• See Something, Share Something is a downloadable mobile app developed specifically for FBISD which allows anyone to report something directly to FBISD police anonymously. 
• Crimestoppers is another way to report something anonymously.
• Anyone can report anything directly to our police officers by calling FBISD PD Dispatch at 281-634-5500, or when you see an officer at a campus. 

While police officers and uniforms may be the first image that comes to mind when talking about the FBISD Police Department, we serve the District in a variety of ways with numerous employees who embrace the idea of being educators first and building positive relationships. 

 School Safety - Information and Resources

Fort Bend ISD is committed to the safety of all students and staff. In light of the recent tragic shootings in El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH it is important to provide information about new safety measures implemented for the 2019-20 school year.

We created this webpage to provide more information about our safety procedures and resources that are available for our students and staff to help keep our schools safe. For the latest updates, follow our Facebook page, Fort Bend ISD, and follow us on Twitter, @FBISDPolice @FBISDChiefRider so you can stay up-to-date with the latest information.  

Update - February 13, 2023:

The District’s proactive approach to student safety consists of security investments from the 2018 Bond Program. The installation of over 7,300 RhinoWare floor-mounted door locks help circumvent the potential for tragedies in our schools and district facilities. The implementation of the ScholarChip system, emergency call boxes, Crisis Intervention Unit and a new incident-reporting application are additional tools we utilize to maintain the highest level of security across Fort Bend ISD.

See Something, Share Something Mobile App

As a component of the ScholarChip ID System, the See Something, Share Something mobile app allows students, staff and the community the ability to submit crime tips, report incidents and suspicious activity anonymously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from a mobile device to FBISD police. The District’s first-ever mobile app empowers students, staff, and parents to play an active role in identifying and reporting suspicious activity and bullying. The app is available for download using a unique QR Code located on the back of all new student and staff ScholarChip ID badges, Apple Store, Google Play Store, or via desktop computer at www.FortBendISD.com/SeeShare. Promotional posters that include the QR code have been distributed to all campuses and district facilities. FBISD video production and criminal justice students developed an engaging educational video used to motivate students to use the app to report incidents to police.  

RhinoWare floor-mounted door locks

As school safety is our top priority, the District has installed over 7,300 RhinoWare floor-mounted door locks in all classrooms that contain students across FBISD. RhinoWare door barricade locks provide students and staff an added layer of security by keeping those inside the classroom safe from any threat outside of the class.

District staff has completed interactive hands-on training and demonstration. You can learn more about how the RhinoWare door locks enhance safety by viewing this instructional video.

Emergency Call Boxes

For the safety of our students and staff members, 44 emergency call boxes are now available on various campuses and district facilities providing direct access to police in the event of an emergency.  Every high school has two emergency call boxes available to students and staff. Each middle school campus, the agricultural centers, and Mercer and Hall stadiums, all have solar-powered call boxes with one-touch button access to FBISD Dispatch. 

The 2021 Safety and Security Master Plan Update - includes information about the District's safety and security plan.

Services & Programs

Public Safety

• School Resource Officers- Fort Bend ISD Police Officers are assigned to each secondary campus and they have dedicated patrol officers specifically for elementary schools. All officers are licensed by the State of Texas and enforce Fort Bend ISD policies, applicable ordinances, and state laws. The Police Department provides a multitude of police-related services for our students, staff, and community.

• Traffic Safety Division – coordinates the District’s crossing guard program and assists with traffic concerns on and around FBISD properties.
• Emergency Management - Fort Bend ISD has a full-time emergency management coordinator who is responsible for ensuring all staff and students are prepared for any kind of emergency.
• Life Safety Systems - staff maintains the District's security alarms and video systems that are installed in all FBISD schools and facilities.
• Criminal Investigation Division – investigates criminal offenses that have occurred on FBISD properties.
• Quality Control/Community Service – provides educational programs on R.A.D. KIDS (Resisting, Aggression, Defensively), stranger danger, violence prevention, consequences of drinking and driving, alcohol awareness, bicycle safety, gun safety, and crisis management planning.

Crime Prevention

• Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Training - instructors provide training to staff, parents, and community groups which teaches them what to do if they find themselves in an active attack situation.
• Student Crime Stoppers Hotline – provides opportunities for students to report illegal activities that take place on school property by calling a tips hotline, (281) 491-TIPS (8477). All calls remain anonymous and students can receive monetary rewards for information that leads to any prosecution or arrest.

Regular Safety Drills and Procedures

Fort Bend ISD has implemented Standard Response Protocols, which is part of a nationwide effort to simplify and standardize emergency response in schools. Students and staff are trained in accordance to this system and regular drills are conducted.

• All FBISD campuses conduct a fire drill at least once a month.
• All campuses conduct at least two lockdown drills a year.
• All FBISD campuses also conduct safety drills each year for each of the following scenarios:
  • • Secure
    • Shelter in Place (Severe Weather or Hazardous Materials)
• For the safety of our students and staff members, all FBISD campuses have exterior doors locked during the school day. All visitors must enter at the main entrance of each school and go through a proper vetting process before they proceed.

Counseling Resources

Fort Bend ISD has counselors available for students who are experiencing distress due to any situation, and we encourage students to reach out to an adult when they are in need of support or additional assistance.

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