Kids do strange things sometimes. Knight said repeated student harassment often is the basis of weapons violence in schools. When we look into them, it greatly diminishes the chance of something happening down the road. Wright said there are always a variety of student cliques in high school that don't get along with others. Marshfield police conducted a rare locker sweep for drugs in March at the request of the principal, but don't check the school for weapons.
Knight encourages school administrators and parents to report problems with kids.
We try to bring parents in with the student and sit down with a juvenile officer, who coordinates an interview with the youth involved to focus on the problem - why it occurred and mediate it so it doesn't reach the boiling point. Quite often we can. If there is an assault or threats with a knife at the high school, police will interview witnesses and may bring charges against a student under the juvenile diversion program in Plymouth Juvenile Court. Plymouth police have participated for more than a year in monthly forums sponsored by Plymouth County District Attorney Michael Sullivan on juvenile justice and related issues involving high school and middle schools students. School administrators and police officers from throughout the county regularly attend.