Arrests down at CMS schools, but some see major spikes

Full Article

Arrests down at CMS schools, but some see major spikes

By The Charlotte Observer – February 10, 2011

Font Size:

Share:

By Eric Frazier
efrazier@charlotteobserver.com

Arrests at Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools are down by about 11 percent so far this school year, despite significant increases at Vance and Garinger high schools.

Some 544 arrests have occurred on CMS campuses from Aug. 25 to Monday, according to data released Wednesday by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. In the same period of the previous school year, police had made 611 arrests.

"We're all working together to make a positive learning environment," CMS Chief Operating Officer Hugh Hattabaugh said. "But ultimately students have to understand that you have to make good choices every day."

The police released the data in response to a request from reporters asking about arrests at area campuses. The data include arrests reported by the 49 school resource officers CMPD has stationed at campuses around the county. Not included are suburban schools, such as Butler or North Mecklenburg, that aren't covered by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Officials cautioned that the data might not present a complete picture of crime and violence at schools. For instance, the data include incidents in which police came to school to serve warrants on students who had been involved in crimes off campus.

Not included are citations, which officers sometimes issue instead of making arrests.

Sgt. David Schwob said the department will have a more complete report by the end of the school year.

"The numbers are what they are," he said. "Is it everything? No. But it is a major part" of what's happening with crime on campuses.

The decrease in overall arrests comes despite a huge spike at Vance, and a significant one at Garinger, the two high schools with the most arrests. Police have stationed an extra officer at both schools.

Arrests at Vance zoomed to 61 so far this school year, from eight in the same period for 2009-10.

The arrests mostly involved fighting or assaults, but also included charges for marijuana and liquor possession, as well as one for carrying a concealed weapon.

Hattabaugh attributed the increase to two incidents involving the arrests of multiple students.

In one, he said 21 students helped vandalize a mobile unit, and 12 were arrested. The other case involved a fight on campus that initially involved two students. Their friends jumped in, prompting multiple arrests.

Hattabaugh expressed confidence that Valerie Williams, brought in as Vance's principal last year, is taking proper steps to address the problems.

He said she has tightened control over the amount of socializing kids can do before school, and has divided their lunch periods to make smaller groups.

Garinger's arrests have risen from 31 at this point last school year to 56 this school year.

Garinger was locked down in December after someone fired shots near the school. The school's homecoming game in October was halted when a brawl broke out in the stands.

Hattabaugh said the school system is working with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police anti-gang unit, but he stopped short of acknowledging a gang problem at Garinger.

Arrest figures tend to fluctuate from campus to campus, year to year, said Schwob, supervisor of the school resource officers.

He said arrests can rise or fall when the school system changes a school's attendance area, adding or subtracting crime-plagued neighborhoods, or when new school leaders or resource officers take charge at a campus.

Vance, for instance, has a new officer this year, he said. And its principal, Williams, was reassigned to Vance last year from Cochrane Middle as part of Superintendent Peter Gorman's strategic staffing initiative, which gives top principals and teachers financial incentives to join struggling schools.

Hattabaugh said it sometimes takes students a while to understand the expectations of new administrators. He pointed to James Martin Middle, where arrests plunged from 71 in the first part of 2009-10 to 17 so far this school year.