Police Catch 425 Students in Campaign Against Truancy

Pilot Program Was Expanded Across County in Crackdown

Prince George's County police announced yesterday that its officers have found and dealt with 425 truants from the county's schools since they started a program to crack down on the problem.

The program, which began at the end of February, has officers -- whenever they're not responding to calls -- on the lookout for school-age people on the streets during school hours. Whenever students are found playing hooky, they are documented and escorted back to school by officers.

Of the 425 truants found since the program began, 18 were arrested because of what they were doing at the time. Officers reported finding 44 truants from last Monday to Friday.

The program began as a pilot in the county's 2nd Police District in Upper Marlboro and was expanded by Police Chief Melvin C. High to all six districts.

Truancy has been a focus of Prince George's officials in recent months. The school system identified combating truancy as a priority. It has set a goal of increasing attendance by 5 percent in the next three to five years and is hiring extra personnel to work with students and parents.

The county's legislators also have proposed measures to crack down on truancy.

One bill -- pushed by Del. Gerron S. Levi (D-Prince George's) and approved by the House -- would make it possible to deny driver's licenses to students because of unexcused absences. The bill would require school districts to report each case of truancy to the Motor Vehicle Administration, and the student would have to present an attendance record to the state to get a permit.

The General Assembly also approved a bill to set up a court to deal with truant students in Prince George's County. A child could be charged with a civil offense for not going to school, and the court could order the student to attend school, perform community service or attend counseling, or could take other action.

-- William Wan