MCS Moving Forward on Security Plan

Memphis, Tn - Monday night in front of a packed crowd a resolution to conduct a feasibility study focusing on the MCS security department passed the board.

Martavius Jones said, "The feasibility study will be a study that's conducted by the Memphis City Schools administration."

The meeting ran until one minute before midnight.

Board President Martavius Jones said the study will focus specifically on the expansion of the current security model, not enabling more power.

Jones said, "The feasibility study has to deal with expanding those officers that we have now but that expansion, if current law is not changed, does not give them any expanded powers beyond what they currently have right now."

While still awaiting state approval to create a dedicated MCS peace force with more power the study will look at the expansion of the current number of certified security personnel patrolling in and around Memphis City Schools.

Jones said, "Even if we don't receive enabling legislation to allow a peace force, as state law prohibits us now from doing, it said nothing about expanding the force the security officers that we have right now."

But MCS board member Kenneth Whalum, Jr. disagrees with the plan and said there will be no feasibility study. "The study is already done. The study is 'here's what we want to do, there ya go, we found justification for it.'"

Whalum adds that by taking away Memphis Police officers from the security loop, the school district will effectively make way for an inclusive security team that will do more harm than good.

Whalum said, "The Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners is saying we're turning all law enforcement over to security, our security force, we're removing Memphis Police from the law enforcement field in Memphis City Schools. It's ridiculous."

The goal is to look at possibly phasing out the Memphis Police officers that the school district currently employs and pays.

The study is expected to be complete by the end of the month and Jones said the plan's projected moves will save the district money.

Jones said, "The feasibility study could recommend that we keep things as they are right now, but we at this point we don't know."

Right now there are 57 MCS Security Officers, but the district also employs 38 Memphis Police Officers.

The district operates on a $10.5 million budget for security. Of that, just under $2 million is paid to MPD for their services.