Council approves intermunicipal agreement with Rochester City School District for requested safety services
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Summary
Council adopted Introductory 2‑85 authorizing an intermunicipal agreement at the school district’s request; debate centered on whether policing is the right approach to student safety and calls for broader violence‑prevention strategies.
Rochester City Council on Aug. 21 voted to authorize an intermunicipal agreement with the Rochester City School District (Introductory 2‑85) to provide safety services at the district’s request. The measure passed after roll‑call voting and disclosures that two council members work for the school district.
Council debate focused on the policy tradeoffs of deploying city personnel for school safety. Council member Lupien said she supports the agreement as a stopgap but urged the district and city to develop a comprehensive safety plan that emphasizes violence prevention over policing. “I continue to support it because I understand that children need to feel safe in school ... But I wanna see us actually employ violence prevention,” Lupien said.
Council member Martin argued against conflating policing with safety, citing community reports of police interactions that have harmed Black and Brown children: “I think it's dangerous to expose young black and brown youth to police as a measure of safety,” he said, and suggested alternatives such as hiring parents and city staff for security roles.
Council member Patterson said the city is responding to a request from the school district and urged critics to press the school board if they seek a different approach: “If there is a desire on the part of the Rochester City School District to not have this service, then that mission lies with the school district.” Patterson said he would vote in support because the service was requested and had already been provided in the prior year.
The council recorded disclosures for Vice President Harris and Council member Lupien because they are employees of the Rochester City School District; both disclosed and participated in the vote. After discussion, the council approved the intermunicipal agreement by roll call.
Council members asked that the school district present a longer‑term safety plan in future meetings and urged the administration to pursue violence‑prevention strategies alongside any deployment of officers or security personnel in school settings.