School resource officers will return to Columbia Public Schools

School resource officers will return to Columbia Public Schools after the Columbia City Council voted Monday in favor of a new contract following extensive public comment.

The vote was 5-2. First Ward council member Pat Fowler and Fourth Ward council member Ian Thomas voted against the contract. 

The school board had previously approved the contract, set through June 30, 2023, to have four SROs from the Columbia Police Department within district high schools. Hickman and Rock Bridge will have one officer each, while Battle will receive two. 

The start date for SROs to return to schools has yet to be announced.

Battle Principal Adam Taylor said that security personnel generally are in place at any event in the community where there are over 2,000 people.

He compared that to the number of students who are in school buildings every day.

"Almost daily I talk to parents and they ask me how we are keeping their children safe," Taylor said in support of reinstating the contract. "As an educator, my No. 1 job is to make sure every kid returns home safely."

The cost of the SROs to the city is $393,551, of which CPS will reimburse the city 75%, or $295,163.

Thomas made a motion to table the vote for at least a month to give the police department adequate time to compile data related to racial and ethnic disparities among categories of interactions with students.

City police officers have not been in schools since the 2019-20 school year, after which the city ended the program amid budget constraints as well as schools making the shift to virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before that, SROs had been serving the district for 22 years.

"I think it sets us up for success and gives us the opportunity for safe outcomes in the schools and opportunity to do the outreach and build the relationships that we believe are so vitally important," Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones said.

Per the agreement, the primary function of the officers in schools is to build relationships with students, families and staff to enhance partnerships in the community. 

Supporters of the agreement, including former SRO Keisha Edwards, cited examples of the positive relationships SROs can foster with students.

"I wanted them to see beyond the badge and the uniform," Edwards said. "I wanted them to see a safe adult."

Individuals against the contract spoke of the fear that reintroducing officers would only cause more issues for students and staff alike.

Instead, opponents advocated for additional counselors to be placed in schools.

"I'm very supportive of the need for all students and teachers to feel safe in schools," said parent Rose Metro. "We don't necessarily need to do that with this agreement the way it is. We can add a measure so that the community has input and so that students are protected from the unfortunate behavior we have seen around the country where powers to arrest are really misused."

Law enforcement and CPS enter agreement

The council approved a memorandum of understanding between the district and local law enforcement, enabling schools to hold students accountable for actions rather than referring the student to the juvenile justice system.

The parties involved include CPS, CPD, Boone County Sheriff's Department and the 13th Judicial Circuit Court.

The agreement replaces a similar one that was put in place in 2017. It places greater emphasis on using community resources to address student behavioral issues and pursuing all possible options before involving a student in the justice system, according to a council memo. 

The memorandum states that when determining whether a student should be referred to the juvenile office, the school must first consider: 

• the age and maturity of the student involved;
• whether the incident involved use or threatened use of a weapon or involved sexual misconduct or allegations of sexual misconduct;
• the nature and severity of the conduct;
• the nature and severity of the injury inflicted, if any.

The council voted 6-1 in favor of authorizing the agreement, with Fowler voting against.