“I am angry they are going to cut the officer,” Espino said. “He provides security for the students.”
Espino and his wife, Claudia Martinez, say the officer controlled traffic and prevented accidents from occurring outside the school.
“If he is not here, there could be accidents, or one of the students could get hurt if something happens on campus,” Martinez said.
The couple’s daughter, Karen Espino, said fights often occur at the school.
“If there is no officer, something bad could happen,” she said.
The school’s officer breaks up disputes among students and reports fights to the school principal, she said.
Toll Middle School student Vedi Noshadeyal said students’ safety will be compromised if the school resource officer is relieved of his post. Fights always occur on campus, he said.
“They are here to keep the campus safe,” he said. “If there is no officer, they will keep fighting.”
At Toll Middle, the school resource officer has been a positive influence for students, Principal Paula Nelson said.
“Hypothetically, if we were to lose our school resource officer, we lose a valuable resource, especially to our middle school,” she said. “It will be a loss for the school, community and the kids.”
Along with keeping the campus safe, the resource officer at Toll Middle coached football, Nelson said.
City officials have not informed the Glendale Council PTA Middle School Unit about the proposed cuts, Wilson Middle PTA president Sydney Swainston said.
“I know budget cuts are bad, but we would really like to not put our children in danger,” she said.
Swainston said the students need a police presence at the school, so they can learn about laws and public safety.
