While it’s something that’s been done locally for as long as anyone can remember, a document and a few signatures now makes it official.
At the urging of the Kansas Legislature, Great Bend USD 428 has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Great Bend Police and Barton County Sheriff’s departments, Barton County District Court and the Barton County Attorney’s Office.
The purpose of the memorandum is to “establish understanding between community agencies involved in the referral of school-based behaviors to law enforcement or the juvenile justice system.”

“We’ve always had a good working relationship with law enforcement and the courts,” said Superintendent Khris Thexton. “We’ve never had any problems.”
However, in an attempt to assure the state that all entities work as well together and that they all understand the responsibilities of each department, “it’s something we need to do to be in compliance,” Thexton said.
The document outlines what each entity is responsible for when a student’s behavior escalates beyond that which the school is able to handle. It is an attempt to reduce referrals and protect public safety.

Those signing the document agree that decisions affecting the filing of a complaint against a student and whether to restrain a student and place a student in secure detention should not be taken lightly.
It further notes that avoiding formal arrest, handcuffing and transporting the student to juvenile intake may help the student avoid being negatively labeled.
The memorandum is designed to ensure that each case is addressed on an individual basis to promote a response proportional to the various and differing facts that affect each student’s case, regardless of whether the student is being handled by the law enforcement officer, school principal or designee and/or juvenile intake.

Unique factors may include the student’s background, present circumstances, general demeanor and disposition toward others, student discipline record, mental-health status, the student’s individualized education program, crisis plan, behavior intervention plan, criminal record and other factors.
Since each student and behavior is considered individually, students involved in the same or similar incidents may receive different treatment.
The document also makes it clear that law enforcement officers will inquire whether the school involved has exhausted the district’s conflict resolution alternatives before making an arrest or removing the student unless a greater public safety concern exists.
Everyone additionally agrees that effort will be made to coordinate intake services to ensure that students who do not meet criteria for placement in secure detention or present a high risk to re-offend are not detained and instead are appropriately placed with parents, guardians or in another appropriate setting.

The memorandum was officially adopted when the USD 428 Board of Education approved it on May 8.