JCAC Interrogation and Investigations 

JCAC 

Interrogation and Investigations 

(See EBC, GAAD, JCABB, JCEC and JHCAA)

Building administrators, and others designated by the superintendent may conduct  investigations and question students about violation of school rules or the student conduct code.  Unless otherwise provided herein, such investigators shall not be required to contact the student’s parent,  guardian, or representative prior to questioning. If administration requests law enforcement, including a  school resource officer or campus police officer for assistance in conducting interviews during an investigation, administration shall contact a parent, guardian, or representative of the student prior to any questioning.

If there is reason to believe a violation of  criminal law has been committed, the building administrator, or  the  superintendent’s designee, a shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency of criminal conduct as provided  in law, in the district's juvenile justice memorandum of understanding or board policy and may request further investigation of the alleged violation. 

When a school resource officer, school security officer, or campus police officer initiates an investigation of a potential violation of  criminal law by a student on the officer’s own initiative and not at the request of a building administrator or the  superintendent’s designee, such officer will notify the building administrator and contact the student’s parent, guardian, or representative prior to initiating questioning. 

Coordination with Law Enforcement 

School administrators or the superintendent’s designee shall meet as needed with relevant stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the district and county attorneys,s to discuss the district’s juvenile justice memorandum of understanding to  establish clear guidelines for how and when school-based behaviors are referred to law enforcement or the juvenile justice system.

Child Abuse and Identity Investigations Conducted by Law Enforcement Officers 

The administration shall cooperate with law enforcement officers who are conducting investigations of  suspected child abuse or neglect or concerning the student’s identity. For any investigations concerning known  or suspected child abuse or neglect, school staff shall follow the procedures outlined in board policy GAAD  instead of the requirements of this policy. 

Law Enforcement Initiated Investigations at School 

In cases not involving the investigation of known or suspected child abuse or neglect or involving the student’s  identity, law enforcement officers shall not be permitted to initiate and conduct investigations involving the  questioning of students during school hours unless the student’s parent or guardian has given the school  permission to allow the questioning, a valid warrant has been presented to the building administrator for such  purpose, or in demonstrated emergency situations. Contact with the parent, guardian, or representative shall be documented by the administrator involved. If a student’s parent, guardian, or representative gives permission for the interview but is not present during the questioning of the student, the principal may be present unless otherwise specified in law or board policy. If a demonstrated emergency is found, the building  administrator shall require identification of law enforcement officials and reasons for the interrogation or investigation of a student. If the building administrator is not satisfied with either the identification or the  reason, the request shall not be granted. The building administrator shall attempt to notify the superintendent  and the officer’s superiors of the reasons for the refusal.  

Taking Students Into Custody 

Students shall not be voluntarily released by school officials to law enforcement authorities unless the student  has been placed under arrest or taken into custody by law enforcement, or Department for Children and Families (“DCF”) authorities pursuant to a child abuse investigation.  Except as otherwise specified in this policy,or as specified in a court order or arrest warrant, a reasonable effort shall be made to notify the student’s parent,  guardian, or representative when students are removed from school for any reason.  Such notifications shall be documented. Parents shall not be  notified by school officials when their child is taken into custody by DCF, school resource officers, campus police  officers, and/or law enforcement as a result of allegations of abuse or neglect and there is reason to believe  sharing the information may lead to harm of the child or others.  

When a student has been taken into custody or arrested on school premises without prior notification to the  building administrator, the school staff present shall ask the law enforcement officer to notify the building  administrator of the circumstances as quickly as possible and shall themselves contact the building administrator with any information they have regarding the child being taken into custody. 

Disturbance of School Environment 

Law enforcement officers, school resource officers, school security officers or campus police officers may be requested to assist in controlling disturbances at school and, if necessary, to take students or other persons into custody. 

Definition 

For the purposes of this policy, “school security officer” and “campus police officer” are defined as outlined in Kansas statute.

For the purposes of this policy, students will not be deemed to be “taken into custody” when they are being  questioned by a school resource officer, school security officer, and/or campus police officer about a violation  of state law, county resolutions, city ordinances, board policy or regulation, and/or school rules on property owned, occupied, or operated by the school district or at the site of a function sponsored by the school district. 

Policy Reference: EBC

Policy Reference: GAAD

Policy Reference: JCEC and JHCAA

Adoption Date: 06/06/2006, Revised: 06/08/2009; 08/12/2013; 07/09/2018; 02/11/2019; 07/11/2022; 12/2025