Police admit failure to notify public schools of criminals in class

HOUSTON, Texas - Police agencies and courthouse officials are moving to fix a serious breakdown that Local 2 Investigates found -- criminals put in classrooms without the knowledge of school officials. 

Randy Burton, the founder of advocacy group Justice for Children said, "Those are all the kinds of things that put their fellow students at risk, and clearly the schools should know about that."

If the students are released from jail, he said, "The schools can't do what they have to do to protect other students."

He called it "a serious danger."

While declining to speak about the lapse on camera, HPD Juvenile Squad Captain John Mokwa told Local 2 Investigates, "We have not been adhering to (Section) 15.27 as we should have." He said HPD had been failing to notify schools of arrests for years, adding that the department is "in sore need of having procedures ... to get it done."

"My fear is that many children were exposed to people that were dangerous," Burton said.

The Harris County District Attorney's office reported that 15,706 children were charged with crimes in 2007, including 121 on suspicion of sex crimes, 14 accused of homicide/murder and 762 felony drug charges. All of the charges would have required notices being sent by police to schools immediately after arrest.

Police Admit Failure To Notify Schools Of Criminals In Class