CLINTON —
Law enforcement officials from across eastern Iowa this week told Congressman Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, they believe the issues of mental health and gun control need to be addressed in order to decrease school violence.
Iowa’s Second District Congressman held an hourlong conference call with law enforcement officials to discuss safety in schools. He said it was the first of a series of meetings he plans to hold with mental health professionals, parents, school administrators and to develop a strategy for dealing with school violence.
“We know this, too, is a complex issue,” Loebsack said. “I think we knew that before the Newtown event, as well. But we also know there aren’t any quick fixes. I’m here to be open minded about what all of you think we should be doing.”
The 14 police chiefs and sherriffs pointed to mental illness, school resource officers and background checks as key pieces to solving the school violence issue.
Among the officials who joined Loebsack on the call was Clinton Police Chief Brian Guy. One of the problems begging to be addressed, according to Guy, is the shortage of space available for mental-health patients.
“Even under an emergency committal basis, right now we are putting the cart before the horse. We will call to find out whether or not there is bed space available before an order is issued,” according to Guy. “And that’s certainly no way to provide this critical service to the customers if you will, of the state.”
Other law enforcement officials discussed the use of school resource officers as a means to offset any potentially violent incidents that could occur at a school. The Clinton School District has three SROs, which were formerly funded through a federal grant when they were first introduced in the mid 1990s. The costs were absorbed by the city and school district more than a decade ago.
“People would ask, ‘Wow, you have police officers in school. Is Clinton that bad?’ The answer is ‘no, Clinton is that good’ that we were proactive at the time. Now we see the value of school resource officers across the country,” Guy said.
Loebsack declined to take a stance on President Barack Obama’s gun control proposal, which calls for universal background checks and enact bans on military-style assault weapons.
He said he will seek input on the issue before he makes a decision.
“I want to hear from as many people as possible about what we should be doing,” Loebsack said.
Top News
January 18, 2013
Officials eye reform to address violence
- Top News
-
-
What you need to know about preparing for tornadoes
Tornado survivors and seasoned observers suggest people do two simple things to prepare for tornadoes: Know where to take shelter, and move quickly when the time comes.
-
VIDEO: Tumblr sold to Yahoo! for $1.1 billion
Yahoo! has purchased Tumblr for $1.1 billion, hoping to compete more effectively with sites like Google and Facebook.
-
Indians earn 2nd in hurdles
Thomas Brantley, Devin Norman, Shykeem Williams and Mike Osaro were all smiles after seeing that their time in the finals of the Class 2A shuttle hurdle relay was their best ever.
-
Fitness club is expanding
CLINTON — Less than two years after opening, the Iron Horse Fitness Club is more than tripling their space by moving to the former Rodeo Saloon and Feedhouse. Owners Ashley and Brad Gendreau, 31, of Thomson, Ill., will move by August from the locatio
- A few issues to be resolved This past week was once again rumored to be the last week for legislators at the Statehouse, but while many of the major budget bills were agreed upon, a few of the most stubborn issues remain to be resolved. The House and Senate have now agreed on h
-
Panthers take 2nd at state
A successful track season was capped by a second place performance for Erie/Prophetstown on Saturday at the Illinois Class1A girls track and field state meet.
-
Striding for awareness
CAMANCHE -- Organizers for the third annual Strides for Clinton County Autism Family Walk and 5K run agreed that Saturday's turnout was better than last year. "It's getting bigger every year," Lori Bigwood, one of the organizers for the event, said.
- Clinton avoids heavy storm CLINTON -- Jim Blaess, official weather observer for the National Weather Service, said Clinton County was lucky during Sunday's storms. "We dodged a bullet," said Blaess, adding that the county did not see any tornados. The county did not receive a
-
Gas prices up 11 cents over past 2 weeks
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) -- The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped 11 cents over the past two weeks. The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released Sunday says the price of a gallon of regular is $3.66. Midgrade costs an average of $3.8
-
10 Things to Know for Monday
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.
- More Top News Headlines
-
