New TPS security chief to boost campus security

TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Public Schools there will be a new chief of security in about two months.

Nancy Thompson, who has served as a TPS school resource officer since 2006 and has worked in law enforcement for years, will assume her new position following the June 30 retirement of current Director of Safety Diana Ruiz-Krause.

Thompson wants to address school safety issues and problems through a mentoring approach while increasing the number of officers in schools.

In her time as a school resource officer, Thompson said she’s seen fights, criminal behavior and guns, but when she works with kids, she said those issues can be boiled down to some simple causes.

“Sometimes it’s a lack of resources and basic needs. And sometimes it’s peer pressure or all of the above, but they’re no different than anyone else,” Thompson said.

So, how to prevent children from this behavior? Thompson said school resource mentoring is the best way to go.

“If I’m assigned to a group of kids, I will constantly monitor their progress and let them know that we have resources, we’re here to listen, and we’re here to help,” she said. .

Thompson said that’s why increasing the number of school resources at TPS is one of her top priorities as she begins her new role. echoing calls from Governor DeWine and other leaders across the state to strengthen security measures in public schools.

“That’s the ultimate goal, and we’re constantly training and retraining and retraining, but certainly the more security forces for schools, the better,” Thompson said.

TPS currently employs six resource officers. Thompson wants to at least double that number.

But her priorities go beyond simply adding new officers. Thompson said she is working to install more metal detectors in every school and offer more after-school programs to keep kids busy and happy, saying her mission is to make sure no one feels unsafe on school grounds.

“Our goal is to provide as much safety as possible for everyone on our campuses, including students and visitors,” Thompson said.

As the school year winds down, Thomspan also said she’s going to send school resource officers to visit kids over the summer who need extra guidance to help them stay on track and prepare to return to school in the fall.