As of the start of the second semester at Grand Junction High School, students report seeing more police around campus.
Police officers have always been present at GJHS in the form of Student Resource Officers (SROs), who are police officers assigned to the schools throughout the district. The admin do not report an increased police presence at the school, but some students believe they have seen many officers in the commons over the last month and a half.
“From the administration’s perspective, there is no increased police presence this year. Police officers and SROs will sometimes come on campus for meetings not related to emergencies. School Resource Officers are going about their normal daily activities,” said GJHS dean of students Heather Hawkins.
Throughout the city, police are increasing their street presence to try to prevent the rising number of vehicle break-ins by implementing the “9 p.m. routine,” according to the Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD). The 9 p.m. routine is when law enforcement encourages residents to remove all valuables from their vehicles, lock every door on their car and property, and “light it up,” which means turning on security cameras and interior house lights. According to the GJPD and the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, this procedure is designed to eliminate easy targets for theft.
“When something is happening, we like to have more than one of us there for safety reasons,” said GJPD officer Joey Gonzales.
SROs have an office at GJHS, just to the left of the trophy case in the commons. According to Gonzales, there are district security guards that look like police officers but are not a part of the Police Department.
Police officers and SROs were both extra present on Friday, Jan. 30, to monitor the anti-ICE protest, which occurred that morning. Police are usually present at protests to protect protesters’ right to be there, but they are also there to de-escalate any hostility that could arise.
“We’re here for more than just things that are happening; we’re here for meetings, presentations, but also for security,” said Gonzales.
