PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay police say they’ll have an extra presence at Preble High School for as long as they have to after a gun and ammunition were found in the building Tuesday afternoon.
Police were called to the school for one altercation when another one broke out.
As officers where investigating, they learned one juvenile involved in the first fight was believed to have brought a handgun and ammunition into school. The handgun and ammunition were located by an officer in a backpack in a locked classroom.
That student, a juvenile who has not been identified, was taken into custody.
According to Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis, “What we want to do, when we have extra presence at a school, after something like this, is not just have it be police officers with their arms folded and watching everyone but maybe some engagement too with kids, so they can feel comfortable that we’re not just there to scrutinize them so much as we’re just there to keep everyone safe.”
The chief citing the ongoing investigation for the reason he couldn’t answer any additional questions about the incident, but he said, “We’ve had some great conversations, already this morning, with Green Bay Area Public Schools. And, obviously we take anything like that extremely seriously. And I think – it’s early right now and we’re trying to make sure whatever we do going forward and however we evolve the way we provide safety service in our schools is done in a way that recognizes the school district’s mission is to educate our kids and so we want to make sure we’re doing the right things to address these issues but more conversation obviously to come about that incident.”
Chris Collar, the school district’s safety and security manager, when asked what practices are in place to mitigate a student from bringing a gun to school and if there has been any discussion on what to moving forward said, “At this point that’s not a conversation we’re willing to have, regarding that situation.”
An anonymous parent said they weren’t nervous sending their child to school, a day after the gun was found on campus, but they were irritated the gun got in the door. That same parent believes the school got lucky the student involved didn’t have the gun with them when the fight broke out.
Preble High School does not have metal detectors or security checks at doors.
In Wisconsin, those ages 17 and older are charged in adult court. Juvenile court records are sealed from public view.
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