School Discipline Policies
When is a school required to involve law enforcement on school grounds?
May 2021
Most states require criminal behavior, firearm/weapon possession and controlled substance possession/use to be reported to law enforcement. At least three states (Massachusetts, New York and Oklahoma) require reporting certain instances of bullying to law enforcement.
This data point examines when state statute or regulation requires schools to involve law enforcement agencies and personnel and for which offenses or matters. Involving law enforcement may include reporting specific offenses or actions to a law enforcement agency and/or requiring law enforcement personnel to address infractions on school grounds.
Note: In this resource, “controlled substances” could refer to drugs, alcohol, tobacco or any combination of these. Similarly, references to firearm/weapons could refer to just firearms, just weapons or both. Please use the citations given to find more specific language on these policies.
In addition to involving law enforcement in certain offenses, many districts and schools use school resource officers to address infractions on school grounds. Our 50-State Comparison on School Safety includes information on state policies around school resource officers, including definitions, certification requirements and training requirements. To view other data points in this resource, click here. The following information was gathered from state statutes and regulations only.
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STATE
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When is a school required to involve law enforcement on school grounds?
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Source
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| Alabama | Violations concerning: drugs, alcohol, weapons, physical harm or threat of physical harm, and violent disruptive incidents. | Ala. Code § 16-1-24 Ala. Code § 16-1-24.1 Ala. Code § 16-1-24.3 |
| Alaska | Violations concerning: possession of a firearm. | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.03.160 |
| Arizona | Violations concerning: commission of a crime; firearm/weapon possession/use; physical harm or threat of physical harm. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-341 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-515 |
| Arkansas | Violations concerning: acts of violence, crimes involving a deadly weapon | Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-113 |
| California | Violations concerning: criminal acts. | Cal. Educ. Code § 48902 |
| Colorado | Violations concerning: assault upon, disorderly conduct toward, harassment of, false allegations of child abuse against, or any alleged offense under the state criminal code directed toward a school employee. | Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109.1 |
| Connecticut | Violations concerning: physical assault on school employees | Conn. Gen. State. Ann. § 10-233g |
| Delaware | Violations concerning: criminal behavior | Code Del. Regs. 14 616 |
| District of Columbia | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| Florida | Violations concerning: incidents of hazing. | Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1006.135 |
| Georgien | Violations concerning: firearm/weapon possession. | Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-1184 |
| Hawaii | Violations concerning: class A or B offenses, as defined in statute,where perceived danger exists that cannot be handled by school staff. | Haw. Code R. 8-19-19 |
| Idaho | Violations concerning: controlled substance use. | Idaho Code Ann. § 33-210 |
| Illinois | Violations concerning: attacks on school personnel | 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-21.7 |
| Indiana | Violations concerning: firearm/weapon possession. | Ind. Code Ann. § 20-33-8-16 |
| Iowa | Violations concerning: controlled substance possession, firearm/weapon possession. | Iowa Code Ann. § 280.17A Iowa Code Ann. § 280.24 |
| Kansas | Violations concerning: commission of a crime, firearm/weapon possession. | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-6132 Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-6143 |
| Kentucky | Violations concerning: assault, controlled substance possession/use, destruction of property, firearm/weapon possession, kidnapping, sexual assault. | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 158.154 |
| Louisiana | Violations concerning: criminal conduct related to bullying (if appropriate), firearm/weapon possession. Certain materials confiscated in a search of a student or their possessions must be reported to law enforcement. | La. Rev. Stat. Ann. 14:95.2 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. 17:416.13 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. 17:416.3 |
| Maine | Violations concerning: firearm/weapon possession | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A § 1001 |
| Maryland | Violations concerning: delinquent acts, firearm/weapon possession, student conduct constituting an offense after the completion of an investigation. | Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-303.1 Md. Code Regs. 13A.08.01.15 Md. Code Regs. 13A.08.01.12-1 |
| Massachusetts | Violations Concerning: bullying, retaliation for reporting bullying if criminal charges can be filed | Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. 71 § 37O |
| Michigan | Violations concerning: firearm/weapon possession | Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.1313 |
| Minnesota | Violations Concerning: firearm/weapon possession | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 121A.05 |
| Mississippi | Violations Concerning: unlawful activity, firearm/weapon possession, drug use/possession, assault, rape, sexual assault and child sexual assault, murder, kidnapping. | Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-29 |
| Missouri | Violations concerning: certain criminal behavior | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 160.261 |
| Montana | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession | Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-202 |
| Nebraska | Violations concerning: Criminal behavior, firearm/weapon possession | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1204.04 Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-293 |
| Nevada | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| New Hampshire | Violations concerning: certain instances of physical harm, destruction of property, firearm/weapon possession, or theft. | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 193-D:4 N.H. Code Admin. R. Ed 317.03 |
| New Jersey | Violations concerning: Assault with weapon, controlled substance possession/sale/use, possible violation of criminal code. | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:37-2.2 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:37-2.3 N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:16-4.3 |
| New Mexico | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| New York | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession for students 16 years of age or older and 14 or 15 year olds who qualify for juvenile offender status; and instances of bullying, discrimination or harassment that constitute criminal conduct. | N.Y. Educ. Laws § 3214 N.Y. Educ. Laws § 13 |
| North Carolina | Violations concerning: assault, controlled substance possession/use, firearm/weapon possession, kidnapping, sexual assault. | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-288 |
| North Dakota | Violations concerning: criminal behavior. | N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-19-18 |
| Ohio | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| Oklahoma | Violations concerning: Bullying, criminal behavior, firearm/weapon possession, gang activity. | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 5-146.1 Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 24-100.4 Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 24-132.1 |
| Oregon | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession | Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 339.250 |
| Pennsylvania | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession | 24 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 13-1317.2 |
| Rhode Island | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession, firearm/weapon possession (imitation). | R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 11-47-60.2 |
| South Carolina | Violations concerning: Arson, assault, bomb threat, controlled substances possession/sale, criminal behavior, extortion, illegal use of technology, sexual offenses, theft, weapon possession, vandalism. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 43-279 |
| South Dakota | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession. | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-32-4 |
| Tennessee | Violations concerning: Criminal behavior. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-4206 |
| Texas | Violations concerning: Controlled substance possession/sale/use, criminal behavior, deadly conduct, firearm/weapon possession, threatening behavior. | Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 37.015 |
| Utah | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| Vermont | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 1166 |
| Virginia | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| Washington | Violations concerning: Firearm/weapon possession. | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.41.280 |
| West Virginia | Violations Concerning:Firearm/weapon possession | W. Va. Code Ann. § 61-7-11a |
| Wisconsin | Not specified in statute or regulation. | |
| Wyoming | Not specified in statute or regulation |