Washington County sheriff's deputies and Beaverton police deployed to school campuses across the county on Friday, Oct. 16. The move came one day after a shooting at a Bend elementary school killed three students and a teacher.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office announced that its youth services officers and additional patrol deputies would be present in and around schools throughout the county, as first reported by the Beaverton Valley Times. The Beaverton Police Department assigns six youth services officers and a sergeant across Beaverton School District high schools.
Beaverton School District Superintendent Tony Smith sent a message to families after the shooting, saying the district is "always looking for ways to reinforce and improve the effectiveness of our safety measures."
Smith said the district secures buildings through improved access controls including security video and alarm systems. Campus supervisors work in the district's middle and high schools, and the district maintains close partnerships with local law enforcement.
The shooting unfolded around 12:59 p.m. Oct. 15 at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, KGW reported. Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher were killed. A 7-year-old student and another teacher were critically injured. A "community member" shot and killed the 16-year-old shooter before police arrived, according to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz.
Flags flew at half-staff at Oregon public institutions on Oct. 16.
Matt Henderson, Beaverton Police Department public information officer, told the Beaverton Valley Times that officers hold at least one active threat training event each year. The department's Tactical Negotiations Team runs an annual exercise that includes a simulated shooting with SWAT officers, school district staff and medics.
"Everybody that's driving around with a badge and gun is trained up on what to do should one of these (incidents) occur and they're in the area," Henderson said.
The sheriff's office runs similar annual multiagency drills, according to Cpl. David Huey. The most recent exercise took place at Hillsboro High School.
BSD uses the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) in collaboration with the sheriff's office, Beaverton Police and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, according to the district's website. The SRP is a uniform system for responding to threats including intruders, fires and severe weather. Oregon law requires schools to conduct at least two safety threat drills and at least one secure and one lockdown drill per year.
The sheriff's office encouraged students and parents with safety concerns to contact their school administrators. Families can also report potential threats confidentially through SafeOregon, a statewide tip line available around the clock at 844-472-3367 or safeoregon.com.
