The Los Angeles School Police Department is continuing to embrace proactive, non-punitive enforcement strategies. As part of the initiative, the department will no longer issue tickets for minor violations such as most campus fights, petty thefts, vandalism, trespassing or possession of tobacco or a small quantity of marijuana. Instead, most offenders will be referred to the school administrators or FamilySource centers for intervention, problem solving and support.

The Los Angeles School Police will focus on positive social learning, attendance improvement and informative clinics to help students navigate through the new school year. (photo courtesy of LASPD)

“This is another of many policy shifts intended to decriminalize student behavior, when possible, and to keep youth in school and out of the juvenile justice system,” LAUSD superintendent John E. Deasy said.

Coupled with efforts to support social learning, attendance improvement and wellness clinics, district staff is teaching students what is expected of them and providing resources to facilitate positive behavior, Deasy added.

“Change is good. Change is necessary to move this district towards 100 percent graduation,” LAUSD board member Mónica García said. “When the board passed the School Climate Bill of Rights in May 2013, we united with this community that wanted to see investment in learning and not incarceration. The policy change will change rules for our district. Our expectation is that it changes outcomes for children, behavior for adults and the world we live in.”

Los Angeles School Police department chief Steve Zipperman explained that the new approach is mutual cooperation between members of the Los Angeles School Police Department and school administrators.

“Our officers will work with school administrators to provide the most appropriate intervention and resolution of an incident without an arrest or a citation for certain offenses,” Zipperman said.

For example, an officer may talk to a student, issue a warning or provide an opportunity for the student to de-escalate the behavior. The next step for a first-time offender would be a referral to a school administrator, or to a diversion program. The changes apply to students ages 13 through 17. Students 12 and younger are not arrested or ticketed for minor law violations.

The approach is part of a restorative justice philosophy the LAUSD is rolling out via the School Discipline Foundation Policy and the School Climate Bill of Rights. It is intended to help youth make better decisions, engage them in school and encourage them to invest in their own success.

Depending on the offense, the process would involve their families and encourage students to accept responsibility, repair any harm caused and address the root causes of the conduct to prevent reoccurrence.

Arrests, suspensions and expulsions would still occur depending on the severity of the offense, particularly situations that threaten safety and disrupt instruction. Exceptions to the new Diversion Referral policy include situations where one of the combatants or victims has an injury requiring medical treatment by paramedics; officers break up a fight using reportable force; one or more of the combatants has a documented history of disturbing the peace or battery citation or arrest; or has failed to complete a prior diversion for the same offense.

All marijuana violations will include the assistance of school police for contraband recovery.