Philadelphia officials to rebrand school police as 'safety officers'
Philadelphia, Penn. school officials are making changes regarding how the district handles security.
According to a news report, the city plans on replacing school police with “school safety officers,” who will wear less severe uniforms and will have different job descriptions. In addition, they will be stationed throughout the public schools. City officials, however, noted the policy shift won't mean the replacement of the 300-plus people who worked as school police.
School Security Officer Kevin Bethel first outlined the reform at a school board meeting in May, noting uniforms will be "softer" and officers will undergo continuous training on adolescent development, trauma-informed policing, de-escalation strategies and mentoring skills, says The Philly Voice.
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