A Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District official said Wednesday that he would like the district’s officers to be able to issue citations to reckless drivers on school property as well as those playing loud music.
During a school board work session, An-juan Brown, the district’s chief of public safety, told the board people have been driving recklessly and playing loud music in campus parking lots.
Reckless driving is particularly problematic since parents sometimes drive out of formation to pick up their students, said Brown, who is also a Leflore County supervisor.
He said this almost led to a “bad situation” at one school but did not elaborate.
Under his proposal, officers would issue citations only to drivers not affiliated with the district since the district already can reprimand students who drive recklessly. Citations could be issued during school hours and also during athletic contests and other extracurricular activities on campuses, he said.
Brown said he had spoken with local municipal and Leflore County Justice Court judges and was told that the fines would go through either a municipality — Greenwood or Itta Bena — or the county, depending on where the citation was issued.
Judges would enforce the fines, he added.
“If we’re able to do that, I think it would curtail a lot of issues we have,” Brown said. “We’re not going to let people come on our campus and just do anything.”
Brown emphasized that the officers would not be out patrolling just to issue citations, since they have other duties. He also said the district would not reap money from any citations. Rather, he said he is looking out for the safety of the students. A few citations would help send a message to others, he added.
Dr. Mary Brown, the district’s superintendent and no relation to Anjuan Brown, said she supported his proposal.
Anjuan Brown told the board that he would like to have his plan approved as soon as possible since it would take time to develop tickets.
Because the board was in a work session, no action was taken.
- Contact Gerard Edic at 581-7239 or gedic@gwcommonwealth.com.
