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Police: No knowledge of school's actions on day of Highlands incident.

"Officer in School" apparently not contacted by school that day regarding the incident

Evidence to support charges found.

CityLine: November 17, 2000 - Public Safety Building

Captain Peter Viviano, spokesman for the White Plains Police Department told WPCNR today that "we have no knowledge of the (Highlands) school's actions on that day" November 6 when a schoolyard fight resulting in the arrest of two Highlands seventh graders occurred.

Captain Viviano told WPCNR this Friday when asked if the Highlands Middle School officials had contacted the White Plains Police "Officer in the School," Howard Tribble (assigned to the White Plains High School) for guidance on whether to report to police the November 6 schoolyard fight reported in The Journal News Thursday morning. The police investigation begun Monday evening when the assaulted teen's guardians contacted police resulted in one Highlands seventh grader being charged with third degree assault November 6 and another with aggravated sexual abuse November 8.

The police spokesperson said that Officer Tribble was based in the high school that day.

Asked whether the police had enough evidence, or were still gathering evidence to support the charges filed, the two youths, Captain Viviano said the White Plains Police would "never make an arrest without sufficient evidence to support the charges."

Michelle Schoenfeld, spokesperson for the White Plains City School District, told WPCNR Friday morning that no further statement on the matter was contemplated by the Superintendent of Schools on advice of the school district legal counsel because of possible litigation. Asked for a timeline of events taking place on November 6 and the actions taken at Highlands November 6, including whether or not attempts were made by the school to contact the guardians of the 13-year-old boy allegedly assaulted, she said a timeline would probably not be made available but WPCNR's questions had been presented to the Superintendent of Schools, Saul Yanofsky.

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