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Mason board highlights long-running school police partnership, $650,000 annual investment
Summary
School officials described a partnership with the City of Mason that funds officers in every school, noting the program began in 2017 and is supported by an annual board investment of $650,000; trustees praised officers for daily presence and relationship-building with students.
Mason City Schools trustees and staff on Monday described a campus-safety program that places police officers in every school and said the district has funded the effort through an annual Board of Education appropriation of $650,000 since February 2017.
Tracy Carson, public information officer for Mason City Schools, told the board the district’s partnership with the City of Mason “has ensured a strong law enforcement presence in every school through the campus safety initiative.” She said the board invests $650,000 each year to fund the partnership and that officers’ roles “go far beyond” security by building connections with students.
Board members and administrators repeatedly praised the officers’ daily presence. Board member Charles (last name not specified in the transcript) said the partnership gives the district a “familiar face in the buildings” and credited the City of Mason for providing trained personnel. In committee and public remarks, trustees noted the program includes two officers at larger buildings and a lieutenant who oversees the initiative and communicates with district leaders.
Administrators and trustees described the program as part of a layered approach to safety. The district’s campus officers are rotated periodically, officials said, so officers remain current with street and school practices. Board members said the arrangement also enables rapid coordination if an incident occurs and that they view the relationship as a key contributor to the district’s preparedness.
The board did not take a new vote on the safety partnership at Monday’s meeting. Instead, members referenced the ongoing annual appropriation process when they approved the district’s fiscal year 2026 budget appropriations in a separate resolution.
Trustees said they view the program as integral to the district’s culture of student support and commended Mason police and Deerfield Township deputies for their work in the schools. "It is a unique partnership that we have with our city," one trustee said, adding the presence of officers provides an additional layer of reassurance to families and staff.
Officials also noted that campus safety is part of a broader set of investments the board makes to maintain safe buildings and accessible learning environments.
The board’s discussion included no change to the structure or funding level of the campus safety program; any future changes would be raised in committee or on a future agenda.
