LAWRENCE — Two Lawrence High safety officers "purposely misled" police about the existence of a surveillance video which might show underage drinking in the school, police Chief John Romero said yesterday.
Safety officers Richard Rivera and Johnny Paredes are accused of providing false information about whether video cameras worked in the school cafeteria where a group of female students were drinking rum March 13, Romero said.
The safety officers initially told police the cameras were broken and footage of the students didn't exist. But police later checked with the school's security director, Kevin Clement, and learned the cameras were in excellent condition and indeed taping during that time, Romero said.
Nearly 400 security cameras were installed at the $110 million high school, which opened in the fall of 2007. There are 10 civilian safety officers and one full-time city police officer assigned to the high school.
"I won't speculate on the motive here," said Romero. "The fact is the tapes existed. ... We believe this was a willful attempt to mislead and impede our investigation."
Tapes of the cafeteria, taken from two different angles, have since been seized as evidence by police in the investigation, which is being closely monitored by District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office.
"We will now be reviewing and enhancing those tapes," Romero said. "There is no evidence the cameras were ever broken."
Students, school staff and now the safety officers may face criminal charges as a result of the investigation, triggered after two underage drinking incidents at the International High School on Friday, March 13.
Police said they believe female students were drinking rum out of an apple juice bottle and that a half-gallon bottle containing rum was brought to a class event in the cafeteria. A 16-year-old student who was intoxicated, vomiting and couldn't walk was taken away in an ambulance and treated at the hospital.
Lawrence police did not learn about the incidents until a teacher reported a rumor to them.
Romero, and Blodgett, both expressed concern the investigation into underage drinking, which is a crime, was hampered. The school's principal, Terika Smith, previously told police she "dropped the ball" by not reporting the incidents to police.
Last week, during an initial interview, Rivera and Paredes told a police officer some video cameras in the school cafeteria didn't work. They described the area as a "dead zone," and said "all cameras on that end of the cafeteria were broken and no one knows about it," according to a police report.
Officer Dan Smart, who is assigned to the high school, notified his supervisor, Lt. Sean Burke, of the camera issue.
Burke then re-interviewed Rivera and Paredes and also spoke to Clement, who personally verified the cameras worked.
The video shows various students filing into the cafeteria. One female student is wearing a backpack. David Hernandez, a school safety officer, is seen checking boxes of food kids brought into the cafeteria.
Both Rivera and Paredes remain on the job and are entitled to School Department hearings, said Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy. He said neither safety officer has ever been a disciplinary problem.
Rivera is the brother of Mark Rivera, Laboy's special assistant, and Priscilla Baez, a Lawrence School Committee member.
"A person is not guilty until proven guilty. ... I don't want to make a judgment until we give them a fair hearing," Laboy said.
Laboy described the underage drinking incidents and subsequent fallout as "unfortunate" and "isolated" incidents. He said he'd spoke with Romero yesterday about the safety officers and said the School Department "intended to fully continue our collaboration" with police.
"This doesn't characterize the relationship we have with the Police Department," Laboy said.
Six students, including the girl who was hospitalized, were suspended from school and may face further disciplinary action. Meanwhile, Laboy enacted a strict beverage policy which prohibits students, staff and visitors from bringing bottled water, coffee, tea or any other purchased beverage into the schools.
The president of the teachers union described the policy as a "knee-jerk reaction" that was irresponsible and overreaching. The 900-teacher group plans to file a formal grievance.
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