Parish Campus Security
Both the parish and the school have been working to develop a parish campus security plan for the overall campus here at St. Mary. With increasing reports of church and school violence, as well as various changes in landscape and demographics here in our own area of Spokane Valley, we cannot be too careful when it comes to campus security.
As we know, a great step forward in improving campus security was the construction of the school’s corridors that now connect each of the individual buildings of the school grounds, a project that conclude last summer. With a new footprint now for the school grounds, our principal, Ben Walker, took the initiative to consult with local law enforcement to determine and lay out evacuation routes for each classroom in the school.
Furthermore, with the completion of our section of the Valley Trail that runs adjacent to the north edge of our parish campus, concerns have been voiced about the increased foot traffic up and down that trail (not to mention what sorts of people will comprise that traffic). Again, Ben took the initiative to update the gates and fencing all throughout the school grounds, and our school children are much safer now with improved fencing and gate locks.
In addition, both the church and the school have installed security cameras throughout the various buildings. They are triggered by motion to record automatically, and video records are kept for up to seven days. Each camera commands a view of 180 degrees, so we have very good visuals of many parts of the parish campus.
But we still have more work to do. At present, one of our Pastoral Council members, Craig Shaber, is working with Ben to develop a campus security plan for the entire parish campus. Part of that plan involves new locks for the church and parish office, a project that is underway. Also, part of the plan involves scheduling regular check-ups of our AED machines and first-aid kits.
And part of the campus security plan requires some much-needed information from you, our parishioners. Please contact the parish office at your convenience if you are a law enforcement professional and/or a medical professional (and in what capacity). And if you are either or both, let us know also which of our Masses you generally attend (weekend and weekday). We may call upon you to help assist with the development of the campus security plan.
Thank you, everyone, for your attention in this matter. It is too bad that we have to think like this these days, but the world now is thus, and we need to be proactive in these matters for the safety and security of all our parish and school members.
Thank you again, and may God bless us all.
~Fr. Lewis