Even though most school districts throughout the county have well-established policies and protocols in case a public-school mass shooting occurs, the Santa Barbara Grand Jury concluded the districts can and should do more to prepare for what it acknowledged was an extremely low-probability — if horrific — event. In the last year alone, the report noted, three students came to school with guns. Other weapons, the jury added, have been found in backpacks.
The report stressed the importance of more preparation and drills for students, administrators, teachers, and staff. Given that half of school shooters have some unhappy connection to the campus they eventually shot up, the report recommended every campus install drop boxes into which people can anonymously deposit notes communicating warnings about specific individuals. Better care should be taken to identify and track school visitors; photo IDs might be required. Video security cameras, drones, and AI-aided technologies should be considered and enlisted. The report stressed that campus administrators should take pains not to traumatize students while trying to keep them safe.
Since 1990, the report stated, 400 mass shootings have occurred on school campuses across the country, killing 200.
The recommendation that the Grand Jury was most enthusiastic about is also the most politically controversial and most expensive — school resource officers. SROs, as they are known, work for the Sheriff’s Office, carry guns, and are trained to deal with such issues as digital safety, human trafficking, mental health, and signs of substance abuse. The report acknowledged the presence of armed officers on campus can also be upsetting, as well as concern over possible race-based criminal profiling. Several schools had experimented with SROs but opted out because of pushback over such concerns and also the high costs.
Despite these drawbacks, the grand jury argued SROs have a significantly greater potential to become trusted members of the school community — mentors and perhaps even coaches — than private security guards. While Santa Barbara has not had a mass school shooting yet, the report grimly suggested it was “not a matter of if but when.” Isla Vista, however, has had two mass-slaying incidents, and Goleta one.
