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Published on 03/30/1998 All articles from this issue

Crime and property losses at a high in Los Altos schools

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By Susan Kerr

Special to the Town Crier

A new statewide report revealed that although student drug- and alcohol-related offenses are decreasing, Los Altos area public schools suffered a staggering rate of increase in property crimes and losses during the 1996-1997 school year. School officials blamed the high numbers on what they term "unusual" incidents and said that steps are being taken to insure that this year's results will look much better.

The second annual California Safe Schools Assessment (CSSA) report is an attempt by the California Department of Education to guage school safety as well as to help formulate new strategies and programs. According to numbers reported for the 1996-1997 school year, financial losses resulting from campus crime in the Los Altos elementary and the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School districts accounted for more than a quarter of the total dollar losses in Santa Clara County public schools.

The high school district reported a loss from property crimes of $128,700 and the elementary district a loss of $15,785. Statewide, the average dollar loss per student showed a 3 percent drop to $4.03. Los Altos elementary schools reported a 348 percent increase to $4.52 per student, whereas the high schools reported a loss-per-student figure of $43.01

"It was an extra unusual year last year," said David Brazer, Los Altos High School principal. "Still, I have to believe that some of the other school districts are underreporting their numbers."

"We've been very vigilant in reporting,"agreed Robyn Phillips, associate superintendent of business services for the high school district. "There is some variability from district to district" in reporting accuracy, she said.

While the official report acknowledges that some inaccuracies are typical, particularly as the survey is only in its second year, its writers claimed that no evidence has been found of any districts purposefully misrepresenting CSSA data.

Tops on the list of Los Altos incidents was a wave of computer thefts across the school district. Additionally, approximately $50,000 in cash and checks was stolen from the high school's bookkeeper's office in October 1996. Graffiti was also a problem, according to Brazer. In total, 50 property crimes were reported by the high school district and 12 by the elementary school district. Other typical crimes include bicycle and wallet thefts.

As a result of those crimes, Los Altos high school now has custodians working overnight to insure that someone is always on campus. It has also beefed up weekend security systems and is finishing the installation of a campus-wide alarm system. Students are being reminded to secure their belongings better. No cash is being kept in the bookkeeper's office and computer systems now are locked in place.

K-8 grade schools similarly are looking at how to protect their investment in computer systems with special attention being paid to providing safety systems to computer rooms, said assistant superintendent Richard Liewer.

Although the high school district has insurance, it carries a $10,000 deductible, said Phillips. So while some losses can be partially recouped, the general fund needs to make up the initial cost. While there already had been plans for an alarm system once the high school completes renovation, the district decided to move up its purchase and installation.

"In general, things (like stolen computers) were replaced, but that might take money away from other things you'd want to use the money for," Phillips said.

On the bright side, local schools reported a drop in drug and alcohol offenses. The elementary schools reported zero offenses, while the high school district reported 26, a 21 percent drop from the previous year. Statewide, drug and alcohol offenses dropped six percent, although Santa Clara county as a whole showed a four percent increase.