Stockton police: Man on Westwood Elementary school campus did not have criminal intent
Update: The Lodi Unified School District has identified the man and says he followed proper procedures for visiting the school; however, he was not checked in at the office.
A 2023 graduate of McNair High and a former Westwood Elementary student, the man did not pose a threat to students or staff, police told the district following their investigation.
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STOCKTON -- A man was found in a Westwood Elementary bathroom Monday prompting Stockton Police to respond to the school, school leaders confirmed to CBS13 Tuesday.
Lodi Unified School District leaders say they are investigating.
"Our school site staff is still reviewing security footage to determine how the adult male came on campus," said principal Joe Ward in a message to parents Tuesday. "We want to assure you that safety remains our foremost priority. We have reviewed safety procedures and protocols for campus access with employees."
The school is fenced in on all sides and has a locked gate to the front entrance where all visitors have to be buzzed in to the front office.
It is not an easy campus to simply walk onto.
"Our kids were put at risk. By someone having access to them in the bathroom. Of all places," said Becky, who asked CBS13 to not use her last name.
Becky's grandchild is a kindergarten student at the school. She reached out to CBS13 to get answers about the security scare.
"We're in the dark. That's what I feel like," said Becky.
Becky said now she's had to have conversations with her grandchild about being more aware at school.
"You feel like you have to tell the kindergartener not to use the restroom without a teacher?" asked CBS13 reporter Ashley Sharp.
"Yes. For their safety," said Becky.
The Stockton Police Department confirmed to CBS13 that they responded to Westwood Elementary on Monday and that the man is not facing any charges.
"After a thorough investigation, it was determined there was no criminal intent by the male subject and no elements of a crime that had occurred, which is why no arrest was made," said a spokesperson for SPD.
However, SPD could not confirm Tuesday to CBS13 how the man got onto campus, if any school security protocol was breached or if the man is a known relative to a student.
All SPD would say is, "Yesterday's incident did not meet the elements of trespass."
That does not sit well with Westwood Elementary parents.
"Something was off there if someone came into the school and didn't check in with the office first," said Becky. "There's something missing there, something doesn't feel right."
It comes as CBS13 reported another school breech Monday at Placer High School in Auburn.
A few weeks ago in Stockton, a homeless person tried to get on the campus of McKinley Elementary School.
"If someone slips onto campus and gets past some of the physical security, the technology. You want your people trained, alert and a culture of school safety where it is everyone's job," said Dr. Ken Trump.
Trump is a national school security expert and says in his own research he is seeing more instances of unauthorized breaches of school campuses recently.
"There is a tunnel vision focus on school shootings today and those are concerns, but day-to-day there are higher probable lower impact events beyond active shooters that can pose harm to schools and kids," said Trump. "Any security technology can create, sometimes, security theater to make you feel safer. It's what is going on behind it. It's not the fortified front entrance that's the absolute most important thing."
He says schools need to focus on training their staff and students in three primary areas: situational awareness, looking for abnormalities and how to make quick decisions under stress.
"School leaders need to train students not to open doors for strangers, to report a stranger In the building, in the restroom," said Trump. "Because their gut feeling is typically right."
Westwood's principal said Tuesday the school has reviewed all safety protocols with staff, reminding them that doors have to be locked at all times and that all visitors must be checked into the front office.
"Additionally, school site staff are performing sweeps of the school site to ensure student safety," said Ward.
The full statements sent by the school to parents both Monday and Tuesday can be read here.
