There’s an unsettling pattern emerging in schools across the country—a growing reluctance to work with law enforcement during emergencies. The hesitation to cooperate with law enforcement—even during routine or non-emergency situations—has roots that go back decades. It’s often shaped by ideological views that are skeptical of police presence in schools, sometimes framing law enforcement not as partners in safety, but as potential threats to students.
While the intention may be to protect children, the result is a breakdown in trust and collaboration that puts everyone at greater risk when real emergencies occur. Bureaucratic protocols, ideological resistance, and, in some cases, outright disdain for police officers are putting students and staff at risk. As a good friend of mine, a school safety expert says, “the time to exchange business cards is not during a crisis”. Said another way, the time to forge the relationships necessary to protect the lives of students and educators is not the day of a tragedy.
The recent incident at Ridgeview Middle School in Columbus, Ohio is just the latest, and perhaps most shocking, example of what happens when adults in the room lose sight of their most important responsibility: keeping children safe.
