Bend, Ore. – In the wake of the tragic October 15 shooting at Silver Rail Elementary, the Youth Peace & Justice Foundation (also known as The Uvalde Foundation For Kids) has formally proposed a volunteer‑based safety model for local schools. The organization is requesting a meeting with Mayor Melanie Kebler, city council members, the Bend Police Department, Bend‑La Pine Schools and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to discuss the STOPNOW initiative.
Why the proposal matters now
Silver Rail is slated to reopen on Nov. 12, but district leaders have acknowledged that budget constraints limit their ability to fund additional physical security upgrades or expand the number of School Resource Officers (SROs). Currently the district operates with eight SROs and 13 campus monitors, and has assigned a dedicated SRO to Silver Rail for the remainder of the school year.
What STOPNOW entails
The foundation’s STOPNOW model relies on screened, trained volunteers who patrol school arrival and dismissal times, student walking routes, nearby parks and other high‑traffic areas. Volunteers are strictly unarmed and have no law‑enforcement authority – they cannot make arrests, detain individuals, conduct searches, or confront suspected offenders. Their role is limited to observation, safety awareness and reporting any concerns through established public‑safety channels.
Implementation would require background checks, child‑protection screenings, drug testing and training in crisis intervention, CPR and situational awareness. The volunteers would operate under direct supervision from school administrators and police officials, ensuring they complement rather than replace professional law‑enforcement, SROs, campus monitors or emergency responders.
Foundation’s broader community work
Beyond the safety proposal, the Youth Peace & Justice Foundation has already provided direct assistance to 118 Central Oregon residents affected by the Silver Rail shooting, distributing $3,150.67 for mental‑health services, medical expenses and temporary household needs. The organization’s corporate fundraising campaign has exceeded $12,000, adding to a total of more than $16,500 raised for relief efforts.
It has also organized a youth solidarity initiative involving roughly 250 young people from 12 states and is planning a “Trees for Peace” memorial grove in Oregon to honor the victims and first‑responders.
Founder’s perspective
Daniel Chapin, founder and president of the foundation, created the group after the May 24, 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. He said, “Parents should not have to accept that nothing more can be done simply because there are not enough officers or available funding to meet every need. We support the importance of School Resource Officers, but we also see an opportunity for community involvement in prevention.” Chapin emphasized that STOPNOW is offered as an additional resource, not a replacement for law‑enforcement.
Local response and next steps
District officials have indicated that the proposal arrives at a time when they are actively seeking cost‑effective ways to enhance safety. The foundation has asked for an exploratory meeting rather than an immediate commitment, allowing Bend leaders to review local priorities and determine whether a volunteer patrol model fits the community’s needs.
If approved, the program would join a growing list of STOPNOW pilots that have operated in schools across Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, North Carolina and other states. The foundation’s recent shift toward direct collaboration with local leadership, rather than a nationwide rotating patrol, reflects its intent to tailor the model to each community’s unique circumstances.
As Bend prepares to welcome students back to Silver Rail, the conversation around supplemental safety measures underscores the broader challenge of balancing limited public‑funding resources with the desire for secure learning environments.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
