(IL) Legislation requires school safety drills with law enforcement

Legislation requires school safety drills with law enforcement


ALTON — Legislation backed by state Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, requiring schools to conduct safety drills with local law enforcement to ensure they are prepared in the event of a shooting incident recently was signed into law.

“In light of recent school shooting tragedies, we must do all we can to keep our children and our schools safe,” Beiser said. “This law will help protect students and ensure that school administrators and law enforcement officials are on the same page in the event that an emergency situation occurs.”

Senate Bill 1625 requires that school law enforcement drills include a shooting incident, and that law enforcement participate in it. The drill must be held during the academic year. Currently, law enforcement drills are based on incidents involving hazardous materials and bomb threats.

The bill received bipartisan support in both the Illinois House and the Senate, and recently was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn.

“Schools and law enforcement must adapt and be prepared to handle new emergency scenarios,” Beiser said. “I will continue to work to make sure that schools and law enforcement have the resources necessary to keep our children protected so that our students can focus on learning in a positive, protected atmosphere.”

http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/local/article_c02d3a0e-e8e8-11e2-b18f-0019bb30f31a.html