Safety & Security

Providing a safe and secure educational environment.

201 Mountain Brook Ct., Canton, GA 30115
P.O. Box 769, Canton, GA 30169
770.704.4354

Use the Vector Alert (formerly SafeSchools Alert) system for sharing tips by phone, text, email or online message. Tips may be made anonymously. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

State Department of Education School Safety Hotline: 1.877.729.7867

“We provide safe and secure educational environments in a fair, professional and respectful manner by maintaining a highly-trained staff and operating in collaboration with school and community partners.”

The Office of Safety & Security includes the state-certified CCSD School Police Department and Emergency Management Operations. The School Police Department assigns certified police officers to each School Innovation Zone, provides proactive planning and training for school-based staff, provides parent/community safety education programs, facilitates background checks on employees and volunteers, and conducts criminal and administrative investigations.

Buster Cushing
Chief of Police
Buster.Cushing@cherokeek12.net

Richie Rich
Captain
richie.rich@cherokeek12.net

Danielle Ross
Emergency Operations Facilitator
Danielle.Ross@cherokeek12.net

Bob Williams
Emergency Communications Facilitator
robert.williams@cherokeek12.net

The Cherokee County School District Police Department was formed in 1999 and consists of 20 police officers certified by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council, an Emergency Management Facilitator and office staff. The department is charged with the responsibility of supporting and facilitating the educational process in order to meet the School District’s Major System Priority of providing a safe and secure environment for teaching and learning.

Since 2006, the Cherokee County School District Police Department has been recognized as a “Certified Agency” under the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program having demonstrated our commitment to law enforcement excellence by meeting or exceeding all applicable standards. This distinction is currently held by only five school district police departments in the state.

Vision

The vision of the Cherokee County School District Police Department is to be regarded by the community and our law enforcement peers as an innovative leader in K12 policing and professional excellence.

Values

• Integrity: We are committed to achieving the public trust of our students, parents, school district employees and community stakeholders by holding ourselves accountable to the highest professional and ethical standards.

• Courtesy: We will conduct ourselves in a manner that promotes mutual respect with the community and our peers.

• Pride: We are committed to bringing honor to ourselves, the department, and the Cherokee County School District.

• Professional Growth: We are committed to developing future leaders through education, training, and mentoring each other.

REPORT TIPS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY

The Cherokee County School District offers the Vector Alert (formerly SafeSchools Alert) system for reporting safety concerns. The Vector Alert system allows students, parents, school staff and everyone in the community to anonymously report safety concerns by text, email, online message or phone call.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said expanding the options for making anonymous reports is one of the many important recommendations to come from his 2018 Safety and Security Ad Hoc Committee.

“The law enforcement leaders, educators and parents who served all agreed this should be a priority, which is why we’re taking this important step today,” he said. “This system is just one of the many enhancements planned as a result of hearing from our community. The security of our students and staff is a top priority, and we need everyone to remember to ‘See Something, Say Something’ to keep us all safe.”

Through Vector Alert, you can submit safety concerns to CCSD five different ways:

1. By Phone:470.315.9171

2. By Text: 470.315.9171

3. By Email: 1695@alert1.us

4. By Online message: https://cherokee-ga.safeschoolsalert.com/

5. By Mobile App – Download the Vector Alert app for free from the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android phones. The app icon is a life preserver. The first time you open the app after downloading, you’ll need to enter 1695 for the ID and confirm your District is the Cherokee County School District.

If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. You can use Vector Alert to report information about threats to school safety, bullying, harassment, drugs, vandalism or any other safety issue.

CCSD School Police and School Operations administrators are notified of every tip, so they can investigate and take appropriate action. This system is closely monitored, making it much more effective than sending a message to CCSD social media accounts or a CCSD email address.