Suffolk County Police Department officers were dispatched to Bellport High School on Thursday, Sept. 10, and Friday Sept. 11.
A student was arrested after a domestic incident on Thursday. The incident on Friday, Sept. 11, was categorized as non-criminal.
A domestic incident is any offense, altercation, or conflict or disagreement between individuals who share a specific family or household relationship.
The relationship can be defined as marriage, consanguinity, or intimate dating relationship.
Parents and community members expressed alarm on a public community group on social media and alleged that proper protocol about contacting the police had not been followed during the two incidents.
Interim superintendent John Dolan said in a statement to The Long Island Advance that “all procedures and protocols were followed. We had issues with students that were addressed, and we thank the Suffolk County Police Department for always being supportive of the district.”
The SCPD also confirmed that “the Suffolk County Police Department responded to Bellport High School for two separate incidents after the principal called police.”
Some parents felt that they were not being kept up to date about the safety of their children.
In response, Dolan sent a schoolwide statement addressing the recent issues following an earlier letter.
“The real issue here is no transparency, accountability or integrity. Be honest with the parents and community because they have the right to know and receive the truth, not a watered-down version. Sugarcoating or sweeping it under the rug does not work. Everything just gets piled higher and higher. Be factual and come up with some real solutions and preventative measures. It is more than just a student’s bad decision—when you consistently have the same students making bad decisions and putting others in harm’s way… the district and the student should be accountable.” said Regina Hunt, a former South Country Board of Education trustee, in response to the statement.
In the letter, Dolan confirmed that the district has a zero-tolerance policy on physical violence, drugs, or weaponry. The penalty for such behavior includes police procedures as well as up to a year of suspension.
“Our schools must be a place where students feel safe, respected, and supportive. Maintaining that environment is a shared responsibility. The district will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to enforce our zero-tolerance policy and protect the safety, well-being, and educational experience of our entire school. We encourage parents to speak with their children about the importance of making good decisions and understanding that the choices they make today can have a lasting impact on their future,” said Dolan.
Another point of concern for parents was the $530,000 cut from the security budget of the district following the financial crisis where the district had eight-figure gaps in expenses and revenue.
Parents alleged that the staff affected by the cuts contributed to the multiple police incidents.
