Running through the crowd of screaming kids, through all the chaos, making their way to the middle of the masses, the East Meck security staff knows they must follow protocol and control the situation before it gets out of hand. 

“Our job is to just stop anything from getting too crazy, we have to restrain the people involved to make sure no further harm is done,” security guard Helena Wright said.

Breaking up fights is just one of the many jobs the security and safety staff at East have to do daily. Each day, they are given an assignment that includes a number of different jobs they have to do throughout the day in order to make the school a safe environment for staff and students

“We have to make sure the school is secure, make sure there are no fights and watch who come on and off-campus,” Wright said. “We go pick up kids from teachers who have put them out. We monitor the bus lots and make sure they are safe getting on and off the bus.”

Keeping the school safe is East security’s biggest priority. Each day they have to make sure they are in their assigned areas when they need to monitor the area for anything that could be breaking school rules. 

“My job is to make sure that all the other security guards are in their post, in the right place at the right time,” head security guard BobbyFarrell said.

If the security staff isn’t in the right place, it leaves part of the school unattended to which can be dangerous if an altercation broke out. They have to follow their daily routine every day in order to assure the safety of students and other staff members.  

School resource officer Rodney Jackson plays a vital role in keeping east a safe environment. Jackson is an employee of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and has been assigned to East to protect all students and employees in case of a serious emergency. 

“I have to be visible around campus and make sure people know I’m here to prevent any dangerous situations,” Jackson said. 

On a daily basis, Jackson’s job consists of aiding the security staff and administrators with certain situations. He is there to aid when needed and if legal action is required, it goes through him.

“With fights, I assist with dispersing the fight and determining what happened,” Jackson said. “I also determine if there was an assault involved and if there was we go from there.” 

Jackson is also responsible for dealing with high-stress situations. Lockdowns are rare but they do happen, and when they do it is Jackson’s sole responsibility to be the first to respond.

“During a lockdown, I have to figure out why we are on lockdown, figure out what’s going on and if it’s a threat to the school,” Jackson said. “I’m completely involved in the lockdown procedure. If we are on lockdown for something outside the school I just post up outside, if it’s in the school I have to handle the situation.”

The security and safety staff do a lot here at East and have successfully kept the kids safe from any possible altercation or threat. 

“Keeping the people at East Meck safe is always the number one priority,” Wright said.