It might sound hard to believe, but some of the police radio problems from the Parkland tragedy are still not fixed.
That was one of the key discussions Wednesday at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission meeting in Sunrise.
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“This communications issue here in Broward County since regionalization occurred has been problematic for almost 15 years,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said to the commissioners.
Tony testified that some of the communication issues that plagued first responders at MSD High School in 2018 still exist today, and said the Broward Sheriff’s Office can’t fix it alone – the county, local governments, and local police agencies have to solve it.
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“If the slaughter of all those children and staff can’t move the critical mass to do what’s right, nothing will,” said a clearly disgusted Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, one of the commissioners.
They blamed political disputes for stalling the implementation of a new emergency dispatch system.
“What makes my blood boil,” said Commissioner Ryan Petty, who lost his daughter, Alaina, in the Parkland massacre, “Is that six and a half years later there’s still finger-pointing between the county, the sheriff’s office, local law enforcement, they can’t agree on how to communicate and it’s putting lives at risk.”
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“Get this done, it’s ridiculous, it’s a public safety issue, and if the same thing happens in Parkland, you’re still gonna have that call transfer issue, people are gonna be shot while law enforcement doesn’t even know what’s happening, it’s ridiculous,” added Commissioner Max Schachter, whose son, Alex, was murdered in his classroom at MSD High School.
On the positive side, the commission seemed uniformly impressed with the security update provided by Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn.
“We embody the core belief that everyone plays a role in keeping schools safe,” Hepburn said to the commission in his prepared remarks. “Today our students and staff are safer than they’ve ever been.
The commissioners, including those who personally feel the pain of the mass shooting, praised the change of culture at the school district.
“It seems like they’ve really improved and changed everything, and they’re prioritizing safety and security above all else,” said Schachter, who has become an authority on school safety and security.
Hepburn highlighted several safety initiatives, including an expanded threat assessment program to prevent violence and identify troubled kids who need help; walk-through metal detectors at every high school starting this school year; and a brand-new drone program to get a birds-eye view of disturbances at schools.
“The takeaway is that I want the public to know that BCPS is the beacon of safety across the nation. We’re continuing to innovate, implement more safety protocols and procedures to continue to enhance our schools,” Hepburn said.
