November 20, 2014 (Sacramento):  The holidays are a busy time of year – especially for vandals, thieves and arsonists looking to take advantage of empty school campuses.

SCUSD is asking the community to help keep our schools safe and secure over the Thanksgiving Break (November 24-28) by reporting suspicious activity on any of our 75 campuses.

“Most of our schools are surrounded by homes, and we need those neighbors to join us in protecting these valuable and sometimes vulnerable community centers,” said Sacramento Safe School Office Manager Nina Delgadillo.

Copper theft, in particular, costs California schools hundreds of thousands of dollars every year – money that most districts cannot afford to lose.

All SCUSD campuses will be locked and alarmed during the break, and all security cameras will be monitored. Neighbors are asked to be on the lookout for suspicious activity on SCUSD campuses and to report it. “The schools belong to the community,” said Delgadillo, “and we need the entire community to help us guard them.”

For schools within Sacramento city limits call 264-5471. Residents outside city boundaries should call the county Sheriff’s Department at 874-5115. School security can also be called 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 643-7444.