Heightened concerns for safety in public schools of late is, of course, a natural concern for students in Lincoln County as well
Sheriff Kerry Lee said between his department and the NHP, “We have highly increased our presence at all the schools. We plan on continuing that also as we are both around campus and on campus.
He added, “We vary quite often our times of visitation, maybe in the morning, maybe in the afternoon, maybe at lunchtime. We are trying to spend as much time as we can there and be as visible as we can. Outside of our regular calls and services, we try to stop in there whenever we get a chance.”
Lee said the Sheriff’s office has been making visits to the schools for some time, long before the shootings in Parkland, Florida, “but Highway Patrol has just joined with us in the last month or so.”
Quite a bit of public comment on the situation was made at the school board meeting March 8.
Lee said many of those attending the meeting thanked the Sheriff’s Department and NHP for increasing their presence.
He noted with all the increased sensitivity regarding even potential threats, a program in Nevada allowing people to make “online tips,” is being tried out.
Lincoln County is not using it at present, but it has been tested in Nevada and other states, he said, “and has proved to be very successful in getting ahead of a potential issue, in most cases, that maybe a student talks about on social media, and giving law enforcement a head start on that, and to open an investigation.”
But Lee said the program also has its drawbacks. “There can also be false calls that come in, hoaxes being perpetrated by anonymous people online. Those bugs will have to be ironed out.”
He said the program is a “statewide initiative that is looked at being implemented in all 17 Nevada counties.”
For a number of years, the school district has safety plans in place, and engages in continual training for both staff and students.
