Crisis plan put to test at Waipahu High School

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

A pilot project for crisis management in schools was put to the test Thursday when Waipahu High Principal Pat Pedersen ordered a lockdown following a student brawl in the cafeteria during lunch.

"The procedure worked very well," Pedersen said of the Community Area Responsibility or CAR project, a partnership between her school and the Honolulu Police Department. "Knowing the result of Columbine, it's important to plan and practice lockdowns because health and safety are primary issues."

Pearl City police Capt. Stephen Kim said 10 to 30 students were involved in Thursday's incident. There were no serious injuries and no arrests and no reported problems yesterday related to the brawl.

Students had practiced three lockdowns and a schoolwide evacuation drill at Waipahu High before Thursday's incident. The difference between the new and old methods is that police routinely come to campus for the CAR project and are not strangers to students.

"As part of the project, we walk around and talk story with students," police Sgt. Danny Ford said. "So it's not unusual for us to be on campus.

"This also gives us a chance to share ideas with students. It changes the way we do business."

Waipahu is the only school on O'ahu practicing the CAR project.

"Since the students have been involved in the development of the (CAR) process here, I don't think they were surprised to see police," said Pederson.

She said HPD's presence and visibility contributed more of a calming rather than disruptive effect Thursday.