NORWOOD PARK — Concerned that Oriole Park Elementary School could be attacked, off-duty police officers whose children attend the Norwood Park school have launched an effort to patrol the school's campus.
No specific threat to Oriole Park Elementary, 5424 N. Oketo Ave., prompted Chicago Police Officer Tom Hope to launch the patrol and ask off-duty officers to volunteer their time in the school's September newsletter.
"As a police officer and a parent the feeling to protect our children while they are all gathered in our local school comes natural," Hope said in an email to DNAinfo Chicago. "The police department has trained me well and the least I can do is return the favor by volunteering a little time to protect our most valuable assets in my community."
While Chicago Public Schools leaders "welcome parent volunteers to become involved and promote safety in their child's school community," district officials have "not identified a need" for a volunteer patrol at Oriole Park, according to a statement from school district officials.
Norwood Park is one of the safest community areas in Chicago, according to data from the Chicago Police Department.
Several officers who had expressed interest in joining the patrol bowed out this week because of time pressures, Hope said, adding that the patrol will start once he gets "enough manpower."
Two security guards are assigned to the school, which had been expected to have an enrollment of 621 students during the 2015-16 school year.
The school has an emergency plan designed to be activated in case of a crisis, district officials said.
Parent patrols are in place at other public schools, district officials said.
Members of the patrol will not be allowed to wear their uniforms, and while officers have the right to carry their service weapons while off-duty, "parents volunteering at the school will be required to conceal their weapons," district officials said.
Oriole Park Elementary School Principal Tim Riff said the school's two security guards meet its needs, but said the parents would "just like to be around in case something drastic were to occur."
The patrol would monitor the perimeter of the school, and "would not interact with the students or act as school security in any capacity other than a threat to the school, students or staff," Riff said.
Hope said he was satisfied with security at the school.
"The staff and security at the school are first-class, and there will be nothing for us to do in regards to the matters inside the building," Hope said "We will be there for one reason only. The hope is of course, that we will never be needed."
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
