Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — Members of the community gathered for a community safety session on Tuesday night at A.D. Johnston Junior and High School.
Held in the school’s multipurpose room, the session featured trooper Jerry Mazurek of the Michigan State Police, Sgt. Brandon Lyons of the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office, and Gogebic County prosecutor Nick Jacobs.
Before the session, Lyons told the Globe that parents were the primary target for the session covering school safety, human trafficking and active shooter issues.
At the start of the evening, superintendent Dave Wineburner explained that school officials try to be as proactive as possible in protecting students.
He said schools now feature security doors with a buzz-in system, security cameras, radio communication devices, other enhancements, and trained staff.
“Everybody has to be on the lookout,” he said. “Everyone has to be hypervigilant about who’s walking through our buildings.”
Wineburner said school staff and students practice fire, tornado and lockdown drills, and officials are in the midst of reviewing emergency management planning.
He added that new initiatives such as “watchdogs” bring fathers into the school to play classroom roles and merely “to have a presence in the elementary building.”
Lyons explained that when law enforcement issues a lockdown, it might have nothing to do with a problem at the school.
Sometimes, he said, a nearby situation such as a domestic dispute calls for surrounding caution.
Regarding the responsibility for safety at large, Mazurek said, “It’s everybody’s job in the community.”
Tuesday evening’s spokesmen also were available for questioning after the session.
As part of the event, Cheri Marchello of Bessemer also prepared raffle baskets.
