FONTANA - Classes let out and things heat up for Fontana's school police.
On any given afternoon, there may be fistfights to break up outside A.B. Miller High or vandals to find near Fontana High.
But lately, officers have also been on the lookout for something far more serious.
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Fontana Unified school police officers Dennis Barnett, left, and Jason Wessely, unload a revolver found in the trunk of a car near Live Oak Elementary School in Fontana on Tuesday.
In one week late last month, three guns were seized from people around campuses, which was enough to prompt a warning from Chief Bob Ratcliffe.
"We have seen a dramatic increase in narcotic sales and weapons around the schools," Ratcliffe told the school board last week. "We have had significant arrests."
In one case, a former A.B. Miller student suspected of selling methamphetamine near the school was found with a stolen handgun and a bulletproof vest.
Ratcliffe said he believes the economy's slide has driven the rise in crime around schools.
He advised administrators and staff to "be very cognizant" when approaching strangers.
While keeping an emphasis on preventative patrols, the chief said he has attempted to have his 12 officers provide more mentoring to at-risk teens.
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As an example, he told the story of a Fontana High student whose friend was recently slain, and who was told he could not go to the prom because he owed money for books.
Officers brokered a deal with school administrators to allow the student to attend the prom in exchange for doing work at district headquarters.
On Tuesday, one officer helped a girl who attempted to commit suicide at Summit High, and another confiscated a prisonlike shank from a Fontana High teen he had questioned in connection with the theft of a teacher's aide's wallet.
"They're old enough to realize that things aren't going right but don't know how to handle it," said Officer Jason Wessely.
He said some students may be reacting to parents losing jobs.
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District police cover a large area -- more than 40 schools and 49 bus stops in three jurisdictions.
They might follow a report of abuse from a school campus to a student's home, or a drug investigation from a courtyard to a supplier in another city.
On Tuesday, Sgt. John Avalos was patrolling the streets around Live Oak Elementary when he stopped a car for having illegally tinted front windows.
The man inside, who said he was a private security guard, had a loaded, unlicensed revolver.
He was not arrested, but the gun, which he said belonged to his boss, was seized until its ownership could be validated.
It was the fourth gun found near a school campus in the last three weeks.
"Yeah, he's going to work, but you've still got a loaded firearm with nobody's name on it," Avalos said. "And we're right outside an elementary school that just dismissed."
Staff writer Melanie C. Johnson contributed to this report.
-I don't have a question, but I would like some of your commentary on the article.-
It's just like Chief Ratcliffe said, the recent drop in the economy is causing a rise in crime even amongst students. Of course, there could another underlying cause but it makes sense that this is in response to their parent's financial problems or problems at home due to money.
Economic crisis = unhappy family = unhappy kids = crime.
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"Your distress about life might mean you have been living for the wrong reason, not that you have no reason for living." Tom O' Connor
It's just like Chief Ratcliffe said, the recent drop in the economy is causing a rise in crime even amongst students. Of course, there could another underlying cause but it makes sense that this is in response to their parent's financial problems or problems at home due to money.
Economic crisis = unhappy family = unhappy kids = crime.
Sounds like a pretty solid theory if you ask me. That's why the amount of family crimes[parents shooting family] has increased as well.
It's just like Chief Ratcliffe said, the recent drop in the economy is causing a rise in crime even amongst students. Of course, there could another underlying cause but it makes sense that this is in response to their parent's financial problems or problems at home due to money.
Economic crisis = unhappy family = unhappy kids = crime.
insteresting theory...i agree too!!
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"nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful"
people should work on being happy. if you are happy you dont feel the necessity to kill/hurt and use drugs. plain but definitely not simple
I don't mean to burst your bubble Jaymie, but the world isn't a happy place. Sorryyyyyy
well thats why there is so much violence and killing. i didnt say the world was a happy place but if you want to make it one you should start with yourself and then it will mushroom out. hey it cant hurt and at the very least you are happy so what have you got to lose? good luck everyone
