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School‑based officers urge board for pay raise and better equipment
Summary
Two school‑based law enforcement officers testified that SBLE pay is much lower than outside agencies and that officers lack tasers, reliable radios and adequate equipment, leading to recruitment and retention problems.
At the Sept. 16 public forum, Officer Javier Moreno and a school‑based law enforcement officer identified in the transcript as Rafaela Alarcon addressed trustees to ask for independent pay increases and improved equipment for officers assigned to EPISD campuses.
Officer Javier Moreno described the role officers play on campus and told the board that officer pay “does not come close to matching the level of risk, skill, or dedication required.” He urged the board to consider an independent pay raise for school‑based law enforcement officers, saying a pay increase would help retain experienced officers: “A pay raise for our officers is not just an expense. It’s a commitment to the people that protect our children every single day,” Moreno said.
Rafaela Alarcon, identified in public comment as a school‑based law enforcement officer, described specific equipment and resource shortfalls. She said school officers routinely earn far less than nearby municipal or county officers: “school resource officers from the El Paso Police Department and other agencies are being paid $60 an hour … Meanwhile, even with overtime, SBLEs earn less than $33 an hour,” she said. Alarcon also told trustees officers were not provided tasers, that radios are unreliable and that officers are required to buy much of their own equipment, including belts, handcuffs and practice ammunition. She said the district provided used rifle vests “the integrity of which cannot be guaranteed.”
Both officers said low pay and poor equipment have contributed to turnover, with officers leaving for neighboring districts. They asked the board to consider wage increases and investments in training and reliable equipment to protect students and staff. Trustees received the comments; no formal action was taken at the meeting.
The statements were made during public forum and do not represent an administrative proposal before the board, but they prompted trustee requests to study comparative pay and equipment needs and to return with options for retaining sworn officers assigned to campuses.
