Board hears SROs describe heavy caseloads; city and district to add high-school officer

The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education received a detailed safety update on March 10 from the district's coordinator of safety and security, Asher Torbeck, and school resource officers (SROs) who described routine duties, training and call loads at elementary, middle and high schools.

Torbeck introduced Officer Roger Seever of the Cross Plains Police Department, Officer Julie Carbon (elementary/middle coverage) and Officer Kevin Thompson, the district's new Middleton High School SRO. Each officer described daily duties that blend relationship-building and incident response.

Officer Roger Seever said he handled about "78 calls for service" over the school year period he reported and logged approximately 200 hours on school-related matters, ranging from property checks to juvenile issues and "speak up, speak out" reports. "My day to day, I am not in the school full time," Seever said, describing visits to multiple elementary sites and frequent patrols.

Officer Julie Carbon, who covers several elementary schools and Cromery, said she and a fill-in officer produced roughly "about 111 calls for service" from September through February and that SROs are often pulled to cover the high school when necessary. Carbon described duties that include health classes, recess supervision and online-safety presentations to families.

Officer Kevin Thompson reported the high school recorded "216 calls for service" in the period covered by his data and noted he often conducts long interviews and report follow-ups alone: "A simple threat... interview can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour," Thompson said, adding that video review and parental contacts extend investigation time.

Board members and staff discussed coverage: the board asked whether SRO staffing is adequate at the high school and requested a recommendation on appropriate coverage. Torbeck said the city of Middleton's budget has approved an additional SRO; he added the district will recommend adding another full-time SRO for the high school through the district budget process.

The officers described an emphasis on proactive, relationship-based work (greeting students at arrival, attending recess, class presentations) but said reactive workload can dominate during periods of high incidents. Thompson said his first two months in the role had been "pretty much all reactive" due to reports and investigations.

The SROs discussed training (NASRO certification and active-threat conferences), jurisdictional coordination with Dane County sheriff and Madison police at specific sites, and a "speak up, speak out" reporting system. Board members asked for trend comparisons of "speak up" reports to previous years; officers said they would compile comparative data.

Board members praised the SROs' community work and requested a written recommendation on staffing levels and any operational challenges that could inform the district's budget decisions.