The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is helping to provide extra security at Benton Harbor High School as the district looks to reduce fights and increase order. Sheriff Paul Bailey tells WSJM News two deputies are stationed at the high school while he works on a three-year contract with the district for security.
“I’ll be doing my paperwork to submit to the county commissioners for approval for a contract for a resource officer to be assigned to the Benton Harbor schools, 100% paid by the Benton Harbor Schools,” Bailey said.
Bailey says this week has been mostly quiet, although there has been one minor fight. He wants to work with the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety and Michigan State Police to help change some student attitudes.
“We’re also there to have the students relate to us and tell us if there is a problem to maybe help us head it off and stop it so we don’t have a fight in there,” Bailey said.
Bailey says his deputies will intervene when a law is being broken in the school. However, he says day to day school rules remain the responsibility of district staff. Police were called out to the high school last Friday due to some fights, prompting the school district to institute a new code of conduct for students this week.
