The team approach breeds a sense of community in which teachers know their students and regularly share observations about them with the other teachers on the team. Stevens and Pasco High have officers from the city police department. McLoughlin Middle School has an officer from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department. The Richland School District employs security guards for its five secondary schools. In Kennewick, police are assigned to each building.
Officers remain in the high schools throughout the day.
At other schools, officers visit regularly, and response times are excellent when emergencies arise, said Kennewick Superintendent Paul Rosier. The focus for school officers is prevention. Cox said the police presence sends a reassuring message to students and staff. The officers are visible and park their marked cars in prominent locations. All that tends to deter troublemakers and breeds a sense of security in the building.