Any time there is a possibility that the safety of our students is in jeopardy, a lockdown signal sets into motion pre-established instructions to secure doors, turn out lights and move students out of the line-of-sight of doors and windows. Lockout is a generally accepted procedure for keeping students and staff safe in a building and does not allow potentially harmful intruders to gain access to the building.
The following steps are taken in a lockdown/lockout:
1. The principal announces that a lockout has been implemented.
2. All students who are outside the building will immediately return to the school.
3. Administrators and other assigned staff will lock and secure all exterior doors and entrances.
4. Main entrances will be monitored, and only authorized personnel will be allowed into the building.
5. Barricades will be considered to close off school driveways and parking lots.
6. Students may be released either earlier or later than normal, depending on the circumstances.
Parents are strongly discouraged from coming to school during an emergency unless directed to do so. Cars driving up to the building will restrict access of emergency vehicles or school buses that are loading children either to evacuate them or take them home. The building's staff will be actively working to ensure the safety of all students.
Set in a box:
Bank Robberies north of Sunrise Highway in Merrick since 2001
Fleet Bank
15 Merrick Ave.
Jan. 5, 2001
Roslyn Savings Bank
2111 Merrick Ave.
March 20, 2006
May 2, 2007
Chase Bank
2122 Merrick Ave.
Sept. 29, 2004
photo credit: Laura Lane/Herald
photo#: 37929a: The Roslyn Savings Bank is across the street from the Chatterton Elementary School playground.
photo# 37929b: Merrick children were delayed in leaving school on May 2 because of a bank robbery at the Roslyn Savings Bank.
Photo credit: Courtesy John Scalesi
Photo caption #37967: Police surrounded the Roslyn Savings Bank after it was robbed.
Bank
robbed
near
school
By Laura Lane
When parents or caregivers picked up children on May 2 at Chatterton Elementary School, many had to forgo the typical after-school discussions. There had been a bank robbery across the street at the Roslyn Savings Bank, causing school officials to lock down all three elementary schools in the Merrick District as well as the Central District's two middle schools.
When children were permitted to leave after a dismissal delay, some had questions about what had happened, while others wanted to talk about what they had experienced in school during the incident. "They told us that the police were around the bank and that we had to stay in our classroom, and I was scared," said Julia Scheffer, a Chatterton second-grader. "We quietly played while we waited. I think they should have alarms to tell us when the police are around our school."
The bank robbery occurred at 1:33 p.m. Police described the suspect as a white male, 6 feet tall with a medium build, about 35 years old. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, a camouflage Yankees baseball cap and dark sunglasses.
According to Robbery Squad detectives, the suspect handed the teller a note demanding money, saying that he was armed, although no one saw a weapon. He then fled the bank, running south on Merrick Avenue and eventually getting into a car. As of press time he remained at large, and police continued to investigate the crime.
"He fits a pattern, " said Inspector Rick Capece, the 1st Precinct's commanding officer, adding that the suspect has probably committed other bank robberies. "I'm sympathetic to the parents' concerns, but we're on top of this. Bank robbers aren't going to go into a school; they're going to try to get away."
Nonetheless, some local residents are concerned because the bank is across the street from Chatterton Elementary's playground. "This is the result of the lack of security in the mall," said Barry Fox, president of the Merrick Park Home Owners Association. "There have been two armed robberies 30 to 40 feet away from kids on a playground. We believe the mall and bank need to supply security. We're worried about the safety of our children."
A Roslyn Bank representative could discuss neither the robbery nor bank security.
"The kids get upset when this happens," said Lucille Vaneck as she crossed the street to pick up her daughter, a 10-year-old at Chatterton. "This bank is right across the street from the school, and it happened during school hours. It's pretty scary."
Comments about this story? LLane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
