The criminal investigation into the threat against Warwick Schools continues and after a discussion with Johnston Police Chief Tamburini there are some promising developments. Regarding police security plans for the schools next week, starting Tuesday, October 14th, the Warwick Police Department will be modifying its operational posture. We will not be placing officers in the schools for the duration of the school day but will be having police officers short posted at each school location for both the opening of the school day and for the closing of the school day. During the course of the day these officers will still be responsible for calls for service but will be periodically stopping by schools in their area of patrol conducting walk throughs and greeting the teachers and students. This plan involves the callback of Detective and Community Service personnel to start work at 7:00 AM in order to be at the school in time for the opening time.

If conditions are good and a review of the operational day indicates that everything went smoothly, starting Wednesday, October 15th, the Warwick Police Department will institute a plan called Random Anti-Threat Measures (RAM). This will involve strictly on duty officers who will periodically and randomly choose schools in their area of patrol to stop at to check the schools condition. Officers who come on duty at 8:00 AM will also patrol their schools in random fashion. It is emphasized that police will not be able to be in the schools all the time but we will be using other undercover and deception measures that will create the impression that officers are present at a school to include surveillance measures. The strength of this plan is the random and unpredictable nature of the patrol patterns of the schools that will be a deterrence to any potential threat.

The Warwick School Department can make a value judgment as to the necessity of police presence at after school activities and request a paid detail from the Police Department or consider other security measures.

Colonel Stephen McCartney