Central Oregon school superintendents, fire and police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys and public and mental health leaders gathered yesterday at the High Desert Education Service District in Redmond to publicly reaffirm their commitment to the region’s Safe Schools Alliance (SSA). The group, which meets monthly to strengthen the foundation for the prevention of youth violence and the healthy development of children and families, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue and grow their community and interagency partnerships.
“When kids feel safe at school, they are better able to learn, and we know schools can’t do this critical work alone,” said Jim Boen, regional director of mental and behavioral health for HDESD and a former teacher, school counselor and administrator. “This multi-agency partnership continues to strengthen our efforts to provide safe and secure school environments.”
According to Boen, the multi-agency partnership was established in 1998 following the deadly on-campus attack at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. As a result of that tragedy, Deschutes County formed CRASH (Crime Reduction at School Houses). Not long after, the name was changed to Safe Schools Alliance and partner agencies were expanded to include Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties. The local tri-county alliance to enhance safety within school environments, protect students and teachers and provide immediate accountability for crimes committed at schools was one of the first collaborations of police, fire, mental health, district attorneys and schools of its kind in the country, and quickly become a model for excellence in collaboration and communication among partner agencies that work together to improve school safety in the United States.
Today, SSA members work together to enhance safety training, facility reviews, positive school climate efforts and more. Safe Schools Alliance members meet monthly during the school year to discuss a wide range of issues, including substance use/abuse, sex trafficking, preventative facility safety and the review of protocols for responding to school violence.
Agencies attending the Safe Schools Alliance MOU signing event include:
- Bend Fire and Rescue
- Bend Police Department
- Bend-La Pine Schools
- Black Butte Ranch Police Department
- Cascades Academy
- Crook County District Attorney
- Crook County Fire and Rescue
- Crook County Juvenile Justice
- Crook County Sheriff’s Office
- Crook County School District
- Culver School District
- Department of Human Services-Child Welfare (Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties)
- Deschutes County Behavioral Health
- Deschutes County District Attorney
- Deschutes County Juvenile Justice
- Deschutes County Health Services
- Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
- High Desert Education Service District
- Jefferson County Education Service District
- Jefferson County District Attorney
- Jefferson Fire District
- Jefferson County Juvenile Justice
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
- Jefferson County School District
- La Pine Rural Fire Protection District
- Prineville Police Department
- Redmond Fire and Rescue
- Redmond Police Department
- Redmond School District
- Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District
- Sisters School District
- St. Francis School
- Sunriver Fire Department
- Sunriver Police Department
- Trinity Lutheran School
“Together, we are working to provide all kids the opportunity to be in school and learning without fear that something negative will happen to affect their safety,” said Boen.
About The High Desert Education Service District:
The High Desert Education Service District is a regional support system that links school districts in Central Oregon to state and national education resources. Our programs help districts minimize duplication of services, preserve their local budgets and receive special programs that might otherwise be unavailable to them.
