FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Uvalde Foundation For Kids
(National/South Carolina)
UPDATE: 5 December 2024: Freshman SC Senator, Uvalde Foundation spar over police-less town's protection: Read Full Story:
Original Release:
2 December 2024
McColl, South Carolina - Following the resignation of the towns entire police force, Chief and the recent tragic death of its mayor, the National nonprofit, the One In Five Foundation For Kids, formerly known as the Uvalde Foundation For Kids; formed following the Uvalde, Texas mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in May 2022; announced in an emergency release Monday morning, that it is launching STOPNOW citizen patrol teams, beginning this week in an effort to help ensure the safety of the towns student population and overall community of about 2,000. The foundation noted that a team of 5 initial patrol members will arrive to begin volunteer patrols, this week, with more being recruited and trained to aide the community ongoing.
Foundation officials noted in the release out of Texas that its planned community patrol members will assist in school & basic community safety patrols and community support engagement until more substantial safety/formal law enforcement arrangements are made.
Uniformed patrol members are specially trained in situational awareness and conflict resolution.. The emergency, STOPNOW volunteer safety patrols for the community neighborhood will, according to design, focus on school patrols and are slated to include over a dozen team members for ongoing rotation at 12 hour shifts, with more being recruited from within the community for ongoing efforts. An introduction and initial training seminar for additional recruitments will be scheduled and released TBA.
OTHER PATROL RELATED NEWS (NATIONAL)
Walker County, Ohio Officials Consider Unique Community Safety Patrol Program:
https://www.wbrc.com/2024/08/27/walker-county-leaders-considering-new-program-ensure-student-safety/
Foundation STOPNOW Patrols, modeled after the "Guardian Angels," anti crime unit in NYC in the 1980's, traditionally patrol school communities so as to minimize & prevent safety incidents from reaching school campuses; while also providing extra encouragement and support for students and neighborhoods during traumatic times.
Patrols are currently ongoing at several historically troubled school & community neighborhoods or those effected by violence or threat of violence throughout the nation; including Morgan State University, Michigan State University & Choctaw High School; all sites of recent student related shootings and threats.
Philadelphia SEPTA Shooting Prompts Nonprofit Safety Patrols:
Morgan State University Patrols:
Pulaski County Schools Patrols:
STOPNOW PATROLS FORMING ACROSS US TO PROTECT STUDENTS:
"In response to community concerns expressed over our Foundation's lack of "consultation," with the Marlboro County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina, prior to asserting our plans to aid specifically the McColl, SC school community in further assuring the safety of its students, school community members & overall community through our patrols; following recent events unfolding there; allow me to personally clarify - This decision in part was made, under my authority, due to the lack of law enforcement & city leaders accountability and "murky," past which itself dauntingly overshadows and has created this unnerving situation for the community in the first place.
When you have an entire police force and its Chief resign, coupled with the Mayor being killed while himself being pursued by the very department assigned to "protect him," - It leaves very little trust for collaboration.
Secondly, our foundation patrol teams as designed originally are off campus and throughout school community volunteer patrols. Unless a part of a focused collaboration effort, on campus or city property - permissions, nor collaboration are not required, nor necessarily sought out by us. By design, the program itself is designed as a fluid, active means for a community to be engaged in active participation in creating & actively participating in the safety of its students and residents throughout the community.
The community does not need the Sheriff's permission to be empowered to do its part. As a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the safety of students and communities across this nation - Quite frankly, neither do we."
(DANIEL CHAPIN, Founder)
One In Five Foundation For Kids
254 206 9089
Formerly: The Uvalde Foundation For Kids
