CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill. (First Alert 4) – A 33-page school safety plan now serves as the frontline defense for students in the Cahokia Unit School District. This initiative was born following a shooting that left an 11-year-old boy injured.
Cahokia Heights Police Chief Thomas Trice developed the extensive safety plan, inspired by the young boy who was struck in the head by a stray bullet while riding his bike. Although the boy survived, the incident sparked a transformational shift in how the department approaches school safety.
The urgency of the plan is supported by data. Trice pointed to a 2024 Department of Health report citing firearms as the leading cause of death for teenagers, surpassing health-related issues.
“We’ve also seen what happens when people don’t act—Uvalde,” Trice said, referring to the 2022 school shooting in Texas. “If you don’t act, even if you have a plan, it’s negligence. You have to run toward the danger.”
Phase one of the new strategy integrates every local stakeholder, including the fire department, school officials, and emergency management systems. A key feature of the upgrade is the police department’s new direct access to school camera systems.
“We now also have access to the school’s camera systems, where we can see the entire campus,” Trice said. “So, if a command post needs to be set up, it doesn’t have to be on-site. It could be set up right here at the department while officers are actively engaging with whatever is going on at the school.”
When asked about the ideal outcome for the program, Trice said, “To never implement it. Point blank, stop.”
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