Reitz Journalism

In the past few years the tragic events at Columbine, Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University have certainly raised the standards of security in schools. The EVSC is no exception. Our school officials along with many police officers and others are making the changes that need to made with the best intensions in mind that go along with the security and safety issues at hand.

Gerald Summers, Coordinator of Safety and Security, is one of those people. Summers has been a police officer and school coordinator, along with other jobs and has learned many different ways to handle situations. Despite his knowledge of how to handle situations like this one, he was scared.
“It was my worst nightmare. I got there as fast as I could. Then got information with the officers. I was about the 4th car there.”
The windows that face the Ohio, show the upper parking lot in all its entirety. Unfortunately, it also showed Summers and other police cars that were fleeting to the scene, making the tension for the students worse. In total, there were approximately 60 units including the FBI, SWAT team and the DEA surrounding Reitz. Between the first call and the first car to show up there was only a 4-minute interval.
“I could hear the cavalry coming! I knew it was going to be overwhelming, but I knew we were going to have help very fast,” stated Phernetton.
While having incredible response time and more than three major teams of police forces, it seems as though something even greater was at hand. However, not most students know that Reitz is used for routine bomb threat practices and even practices much like the scare we experienced at here. According to Summers, not much time had passed since the team had practiced in Reitz, leaving the lay of the building fresh in their minds.
“The officers; SWAT team already knew Reitz, they had just been in it,” said Summers.
In both of the interviews with these gentlemen, it was very apparent that there were things that went very well. The administrators were mentioned, other police forces, and even the custodians.
“The custodians were right with the SWAT team-unlocking doors,” commented Summers.
Phernetton and Summers couldn’t thank those men enough. Custodians may not be your average heroes, but for this situation it’s imperative that they are the ones helping. They know every nook and cranny in this building. Yes, there are stairs lettered and minor stairways that students and faculty know where they go to, but there were over 60 police officers trying to ask Officer Phernetton which way was the most efficient. It wasn’t possible.
“The custodians really stepped it up. They were right beside the policemen unlocking doors,” stated Phernetton.
However, there were obstacles that didn’t go so smooth. While interviewing Summers and Phernetton, they could not stress the fact that parents were bombarding the entire team of police around the boarders that had been set up. Some being parents that had even talked to their kids from inside the school on cell phones. The most popular way of communication, seeing as talking on the phone was restricted, was text messaging. The only seemingly bad part about that is, is that there was a lot of false information going on from student to parent.
“Text message went out to a mom saying, ‘Mom, I think there’s a gunman in the building. Then came: There’s a gunman in the hallway, we’ve seen him running around. After that: There were shots fired in the building.’ Everything mushroomed and tied up emergency lines,” said Summers.
The text messaging usage seemed to be one of the biggest issues that Summers and Phernetton commented on. There are things that need to be changed with how this situation was handled and the resolutions stressed even more. Mainly, the relaying of false information. This may not only make things more confusing for other students in the building that you’re talking to, but can also scare the parents that may be waiting outside. For the sake of an event such as a lockdown, that involves many details and T.L.C. time from our superiors, all the police ask for is that there is a level of calmness or restraint amongst our selves. Meaning that there shouldn’t be overwhelming panic or anxiety. Even in the worst instances, we must remember to have faith while keeping alert.
That goes for the parents as well. Yes, this situation is one of the scariest things that will ever happen to a school, which is the exact reason why parents should remain calmer also. As students were in contact with their parents, I know that a lot of the parents came to the here to try and relieve their children from the school. However, that is the absolute biggest mistake that I heard from Phernetton ad Summers.
“We need to set up a perimeter. Keep parents, even media, off school campus,” stated Phernetton.
Along with the students, the media is also a source of false information. It felt like, even with police officers, that so many details were left to just guess about, especially to the parents that hadn’t yet spoken to their children.
“Parents are harder to deal with than kids,” said Phernetton.
This issue, along with cell phone usage, and perimeter set up, was discussed at a de-briefing meeting. At this meeting all of the police officers and school officials were there. While not being able to discuss the minor problems that did occur at Reitz, Summers can assure all of us here that there were changes that needed to be made and had already been made soon after. With that comforting knowledge, it is very important to keep in mind that this was a very serious situation, and not something that shouldn’t just be brushed off our shoulders.
“Most kids think if you tell, you snitch. If you don’t tell, you could lose your life,” stated Summers.
If you know something, don’t be afraid to tell someone. There are anonymous hotlines and even an anonymous website through the Evansville Police Department who wants to know what is going on. To find the name and number of these, contact our own Liaison Officer, Patrick Phernetton, or the counselors. They will be more than willing to help.
In particular cases like this, lives are at stake. Unlike the Columbine Shooting and Virginia Tech Shooting and even Northern Illinois University, there was impeccable timing and cooperation. No, my fellow students and teachers did not have to face the severity of having to fend for themselves or facing a pistol barrel in the face, but they did have to protect one other and go through the day not knowing the truth or who the gunman was. In all honesty, from teachers to the officers, all that is needed is for everything to get back to normal as possible but yet keep the idea that these things actually do happen. Trust the police and trust the administrators. They’re making the changes that need to be made and anything in their willpower to keep our school safe.