Middle school students in Alexandria are again outperforming high school students in suspected criminal activity

During the second semester of last school year, 38 Alexandria students were referred to court for suspected criminal activity, and there was also a significant increase in the number of incidents requiring a police response.

That’s according to a new system-wide security report that the school board will receive Thursday evening.

Alexandria City Public Schools reported 308 incidents requiring a police response, a 44% increase from 213 incidents reported during the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year.

The new numbers include four weapon-related incidents, 66 students requiring emergency services, 69 fights/assaults and seven fire alarms triggered.

Weapons seized include a knife, a stun gun and two handguns. According to ACPS, a handgun was found hidden at the entrance to a school during a gun check.

There were no arrests in the second semester of the school year, but there were 38 referrals to legal authorities for the following alleged unlawful conduct:

• Assault – 18 incidents (11 on campus, seven off campus)
• Trespassing – 7 incidents (all on campus)
• Public Intoxication – 4 incidents (all on campus)
• Controlled Substances – 4 incidents (all on campus)
• Alcohol Possession – 2 incidents (all on campus incidents)
• Theft – 1 incident (on campus)
• Obstruction – 1 incident on campus
• Firefighter Charge – 1 incident on campus

There were 25 citations filed against Alexandria middle school students, 10 against high school students, two elementary school students and one citation against K-8 students.

Below is the breakdown by ethnicity of students referred to court services.

In contrast, only one student was arrested and 30 were referred to court in the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year, according to ACPS. Of those total 31 students, 23 were middle school students and eight were Alexandria City High School students.

In total, there were 69 arrests/expulsions of students in the 2023/2024 school year.

The difference between referrals and arrests

Even though there were no arrests within the school system during the final semester of the 2023-2024 school year, that doesn’t mean students caught for alleged crimes are off the hook.

Although they may not be arrested, students will still be charged with crimes.

John Contreras, the ACPS director of security services, explained the difference when the first semester data was presented in February.

“A referral is the filing of a complaint with the court in the case of a student who is 18 years of age or older, or through a juvenile court hearing in the case of a student under 18 years of age. “Basically, this particular student is still charged with a misdemeanor code or a violation,” Contreras said. “Instead of being arrested and remanded in custody, they are referred to court and usually released to a local parent or guardian. This is a recommendation.”

The 308 incidents in the second semester of the 2023/2024 school year include:

• 73 incidents classified as “other” (including 11 incidents of trespassing, five students in crisis, two reports of public drunkenness, two threat assessments)
• 69 fights/attacks
• 66 injuries requiring medical attention
• Four weapons confiscated
• 12 controlled substances
• 16 threats (verbal/cyber/social media)
• Nine reports of suspicious activity
• Seven alarms were triggered
• Four reports of sexual misconduct
• Five thefts
• Three cases of vandalism

Since data collection began three years ago, the 2023/2024 school year has recorded the most incidents across the board.

Incidents within ACPS since the 2021/2022 school year (via ACPS)