Posted on 09/03/25
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 3, 2025 - Arming Baltimore City Schools Police Officers during the school day is a topic that has been debated in Annapolis for years.
Currently, City Schools Police assigned to a school must disarm themselves during instructional hours, meaning students do not get armed security while in school. But, as Project Baltimore recently learned, the same does not apply to district leadership. When the CEO recently toured a series of schools, she was accompanied by armed police officers.
On Monday, August 25, students returned to class in Baltimore City Public Schools. On that day, City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises traveled the city visiting classrooms, greeting staff and talking to students.
With the CEO, were two Baltimore City Schools Police Officers. Both officers were armed, which in Baltimore City Schools is rare.
According to Maryland state law, a City Schools Police Officer whose “permanent or temporary assignment” is at a school may only carry a firearm “before or after regular school hours on school days.”
Baltimore City Schools Police are sworn officers. They have all the powers of any other police officer. Except when a Baltimore City Schools Police Officer enters a school, their firearm must be secured in a locker. The officer can then retrieve their gun at the end of the school day. City Schools has the only police force in Maryland with this mandate.
So, why were the officers with Dr. Santelises armed? Because the officers were not assigned to the schools the CEO visited. As soon as the CEO left, armed police left with her. Meaning, City Schools CEO gets armed security, while students do not.
“It's called preferential protection,” explained Blanca Tapahuasco, a Baltimore City parent.
Tapahuasco’ s son attends one of the schools that Dr. Santelises visited.
“Of course, she (Dr. Santelises) needs to be protected. But what about our children?” Questioned Tapahuasco. “Anything can happen in the setting where there's no protection.”
Violence on school grounds is fairly common in Baltimore. In 2023, multiple students were shot outside Carver Vocational Technical High School in the city’s western district.
The law mandating City Schools Police disarm themselves while at an assigned school, has been heavily debated over the years. It’s strongly opposed by Baltimore City Schools FOP President Sgt. Clyde Boatwright. He says it affects recruitment and public safety.
“There's no expectation to chase an armed person and you're not armed. I think that's unrealistic,” Boatwright told Project Baltimore in 2022. “Our police officers don't sign up to die.”
In Annapolis, most years, a bill is introduced to allow City Schools Police to carry a firearm while in school. The bills always fail. Opponents believe an armed presence sends the wrong message to students.
“If feel if a police officer had a firearm for a complete day, every day at school, I would be scared,” stated a student during a 2019 hearing on legislation to allow Baltimore City School Police to carry firearms in school.
But what about when the City Schools CEO tours classrooms with armed police? What message is sent then? For parents like Tapahausco, the message is upsetting.
“This is not even against having her being protected,” said Tapahuasco. “Our issue is what about the thousands of other students who are vulnerable every day? Why not the same protection for our own children?”
Project Baltimore reached out to Baltimore City Public Schools asking if there was any particular reason the CEO had armed police with her on the first day of school. The district replied, “The armed officers are necessary because the CEO's First Day school visits are more public, but they also help create a safe and supportive environment for everyone attending these special first-day events."