District SROs describe heavy caseloads, proactive relationship work and a plan for more coverage at high school

District safety coordinator Asher Torbeck and school resource officers told the board the district’s SRO program is handling a large volume of school-related calls while trying to maintain proactive relationship-building with students.

“As the primary for the school ... approximately 200 hours addressing school related calls,” Officer Roger Seever said of his work in Cross Plains and park checks, adding that the SROs field many “speak up, speak out” reports that are not criminal but still require follow-up.

Officer Kevin Thompson, the Middleton High School SRO, said his shift includes walking halls during passing time, advising on drills and responding to fights, threats and other incidents. “I’m the only one doing those interviews and all that. So just be aware of that ... A simple threats ... interview can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour,” Thompson said, describing the time required for interviews, parent contact and report-writing.

Officer Julie Carbon said SRO duties in elementaries and middle schools focus on relationship building: greeting at doors, supervising recess, teaching health classes and doing online-safety presentations. “Relationship building is primarily my focus in the elementary and middle schools,” she said.

The SROs summarized training and duties: NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) certification, active-threat training, juvenile-issues instruction and mental-health-related programs. The Cross Plains officer described regular property checks and scheduled visits across Park and Glacier schools; Carbon and Thompson described presentations to parents and classes.

Board members raised staffing and coverage concerns for the high school, where more than 2,000 students attend. Jim Corsi asked whether coverage is adequate. City and district speakers said the City of Middleton approved an additional SRO in its budget and the district will recommend adding another full‑time SRO for Middleton High School through the district budget process.

Torbeck introduced the SRO team and noted a recorded version of the district safety presentation remains available on the district website. He asked board members to direct community members who missed the live event to the recording and to contact him with questions.

The board praised the officers’ proactive work and stressed continued coordination among municipal jurisdictions for schools that fall into different police districts. The board did not take formal action; staff said they will follow up with comparative data on “speak up, speak out” usage over prior years at the board’s request.

The board also discussed uniform vs. plainclothes SRO presence. Officers confirmed they now routinely operate out of plain clothes at elementary and middle levels by local decision; retention holsters and other equipment remain secured and not accessible to students.

The SROs asked for time to prepare a formal recommendation on optimal staffing levels; the board requested that recommendation and comparative data for a future budget conversation.