4321 -INVESTIGATIONS AND ARRESTS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
If law enforcement officers need to come to a school for official business, they first should contact the school administration. Contact between the school and law enforcement on matters involving students shall be made through the office of the principal or Superintendent.
Law enforcement officers are encouraged to interview students away from the school regarding non-school related matters.
When law enforcement officers must interview or arrest a student at school, all attempts should be made to avoid embarrassing the student before teachers and peers and to avoid disrupting the educational program of the student and the school. 4321.1 If law enforcement officers have a warrant for the student's arrest, they must be permitted to arrest the student; however, whenever possible the arrest should be conducted in the principal's office out of the view of other students.
4321.2 Law enforcement officers normally should remain in the administration office while school personnel seek out the student unless immediate intervention by the officer is necessary to prevent injury, a serious crime, or flight of the student.
4321.3 If possible, law enforcement officer questioning should not cause a student to miss class time.
4321.4 Any questioning by law enforcement officers should be conducted in a private room or area where confidentiality can be maintained. This should be an area removed from observation by or contact with other students and school personnel.
4321.5 Before law enforcement officers may question a student, a reasonable attempt shall be made to notify the parent/guardian, except in cases of suspected child abuse or child neglect involving the parent/guardian. The parent/guardian should be given the opportunity to come to the school prior to questioning.
Legal Reference: G.S.115C-40
Adopted Effective: July 1, 1999
