Pubdate: Mon, 06 Nov 2006 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2006 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Sarah Wilkins, Staff Writer Note: Gives LTE priority to North San Diego County and Southwest Riverside County residents CAMPUS DEPUTIES HAVE 'POSITIVE EFFECT' ON VISTA HIGH SCHOOLS VISTA ---- As students shuffled back to class after lunch at Vista High School one day last week, several stopped to wave or say hello to deputy Mario E. Genera as he watched from his usual spot near a lunch counter called The Pit Stop. "I arrested him," Genera said, waving back toward a smiling, dark-haired teenage boy. Moments later, another young man stopped to say hi to Genera on his way back to class. "I arrested him, too," Genera said with a slight smile as the boy walked away. Since Genera began working Sept. 1 as one of two armed resource officers hired by the city to patrol Vista high schools, the deputy sheriff has arrested at least 16 students, mostly for offenses such as truancy, possession of tobacco, fighting and having knives on campus. Across town at Rancho Buena Vista High School, deputy Earnell Sease has made about 60 arrests since starting at the school Sept. 18, mostly for marijuana possession and alcohol. Genera and Sease, both long-time officers for the sheriff's department, joined the campuses two years after the positions were cut in 2004 because of a budget crunch in the district. School officials did not have data comparing security problems in those two years, but they said the officers' presence on campus ---- from before school starts to after the final bell rings ---- has been a powerful tool in preventing problems, punishing repeat offenders and making students more accountable. "He's had a really positive effect ... kids like having an extra hand and set of eyes, another adult presence," Vista High School assistant principal Chyrl Taugher said of Genera. "Kids were more restless (without deputies on campus) ---- they weren't better or worse, but the deputy has a calming influence on things. It's just quieter." About 3,500 students are enrolled at Vista High School. At Rancho Buena Vista, a high school of about 3,200 students, assistant principal JoAnn Jones said deputy Sease's presence "is an incredible advantage to the school." "Kids see him and they know there's more consequences than there is with ... administrators," Jones said. "It's hard to say at this point whether the number of suspensions have decreased ... but generally speaking, with a uniformed officer here kids generally behave better. I can tell without statistics there's less fights." Vista sheriff's Capt. Ed Prendergast also said the high schools called the station three or four times a day before the deputies returned to campus, and now the calls have stopped coming in. In addition to patrolling the campus and surrounding area, the resource officers also give presentations on such topics as drugs, gang involvement and grades. They also meet with parents and participate in school counseling sessions. Officers also attend dances and athletic events at the two schools. The officers' active involvement has given many students one-on-one contact with the deputies and bolstered the relationship between students, staff and deputies, authorities said. "Most kids are very positive, they want to be here and learn with no stress from bullies," Sease said. "When I'm walking around, kids ask questions, they're opening up a lot more." Like the two boys at lunch, Genera has even begun building relationships with some students he previously arrested, he said. "I grew up in an area just like this. I've been though what they've been through, the gang neighborhood, alcoholism, I knew people on drugs," Genera said. "I deal with it on their level. I'm not better than them, I'm here and I really want to help." "I tell them, 'You dictate how I'm going to act' ... I'm sure some have been treated bad by other cops, but I talk nicely and they're surprised by that sometimes." - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine