Operation Stay Smart

PRESS

RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 8, 2014

Operation Stay Smart

       

Truancy Related

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Mark J. Becker, Chief of Police, today made the following announcement;

I am pleased to announce that the 2014-15 school year will find a newly developed strategy to deal with truancy in East Chicago., which we have dubbed “Operation Stay Smart”.  The concept is to stay in school, stay smart and realize your dreams.

For the past several months our officers have teamed with Mayor Anthony Copeland, City Attorney Carla Morgan, East Chicago City Judge Sonya A. Morris, Neighborhoods Inc., Calumet College of St. Joseph, Ivy Tech Community College, East Chicago School Superintendant Dr. Youssef Yomtoob and his staff of administrators and educators, as well as the Board of School Trustees, so as to develop a comprehensive plan to alleviate a growing truancy issue in our city.  These organizations have collaborated as the public safety committee for the Bridges of Care initiative, sponsored by the Foundations of East Chicago.

We continue to work with the School Board so as to develop a more comprehensive and specific definition as to what constitutes truancy, with plans for the City Attorney then to draft an ordinance that would provide our legal system with a mechanism to better hold our students and their parents accountable.  All of these efforts directed to increasing the likelihood that our classrooms are filled each and every day.

In the interim, Mayor Copeland has pledged overtime funding that will result in officers addressing truancy issues each week, which will include visits to the student’s homes and discussions with them and their parents as to returning them back to the classroom.  While it is not our intention to fine or prosecute parents when their children are chronically truant, it is certainly a distinct possibility in those cases in which parents cannot or will not make sure their children are attending school on a regular basis.

Effective immediately, after a fourth truant event, the school will contact the parent/guardian and direct that person meet with school officials so as to discuss those absences.  If the parent/guardian fails to present themselves for that discussion, that will prompt a visit by our officers.  Those visits will continue with every consecutive unexcused absence and if necessary, ensuing fines and criminal action will be pursued by our investigators.

Truancy is a challenge for cities throughout the United States and arguably it is one of the top problems facing communities across the Country.  Repeated absences fuel repeated failures on tests, which often leads to frustration and an increased reluctance by students to return to school.

We recognize that those not attending school are also at greater risk to engage in criminal activity, to include drug use, vandalism, graffiti, shoplifting/thefts and of course the opportunities to join gangs to fill their free time.  

This school year promises to be a special one for our students and our officers look forward to working with school officials and others listed in this release to keep our kids on the right path.

“A CITY OF HOPE AND PROGRESS”

Anthony Copeland Mayor