News Release from San Diego Unified School District: San Diego Unified School District to Return Armored Personnel Vehicle to Department of Defense

September 18, 2014



News Release from San Diego Unified School District



San Diego Unified School District to Return Armored Personnel Vehicle to Department of Defense



SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Unified School District today announced it will be returning an armored personnel vehicle acquired through the Department of Defense (D.O.D.) Excess Property Program (1033 Program) to the D.O.D.



"Some members of our community are not comfortable with the district having this vehicle," said Superintendent Cindy Marten. "If any part of our community is not comfortable with it, we cannot be comfortable with it."



"The safety and security of our students and schools is a top priority and we need to balance this priority with what the community's perceptions are on how we best serve and protect. This provides us an important opportunity to have a greater dialogue with our community about what is really a common goal – providing our students a world-class education and the academic, social and physical environments they deserve," Marten added. "The need for dialogue regarding student and school safety is an ongoing one, which should invite and welcome the voices of students, staff, parents, community members, law enforcement and others so we achieve that common goal together."



The vehicle, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP, was intended for use as a rescue vehicle to be used in the event of an active shooter situation on a campus or other emergency, and was received by the 1033 program in April. Rueben Littlejohn, chief of the district's School Police Department, said public sentiment regarding the use of excessed military equipment by law enforcement agencies since the civil unrest in Ferguson, MO, has pointed to the need to be more sensitive to perception. "The value that this defensive tool would bring cannot exceed the value of retaining the public's trust, confidence and perceptions of how we will protect our students."



"Our officers understand the community's concern and are committed to continuing the mission of keeping our students and schools safe as we have done since the department's inception in 1984," added Littlejohn. "We will continue to work closely with our local law enforcement partners and the community to ensure a coordinated, expedient response to emergencies."



The process for returning the vehicle is underway. The 1033 program coordinator has directed the district to retain the vehicle until the transfer can be processed and a new location identified.



CONTACT: Ursula Kroemer | Chief Public Information Officer | San Diego Unified School District | (619) 725-7112

Note: The 1033 program has directed the district to restrict access to the vehicle. As such, there will be no media access to the vehicle.
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