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Superintendent to present SRO options after review of current security spending
Summary
Superintendent Matt said he will return to the board Oct. 20 with a review of current security measures, budgets and reasons other districts cite for having school resource officers (SROs). He noted last year's security spending was about $1.029 million and that Beacon Police coverage for large events ran $20,000 to $30,000.
Superintendent Matt told the Beacon City School District Board on Oct. 6 that the board's earlier questions about a school resource officer (SRO) will be addressed in a subsequent meeting. He said he will provide an overview of existing security practices and a budgetary frame at the board's Oct. 20 meeting and suggested the board consider the "why" other districts adopt SROs before deciding whether to proceed.
"We did an overview of how much we spend on security ... it was a million dollar, a million and 29,000, that basically covered almost all or covered all the salaries of all of our security personnel and our director of security," Matt said, adding that contracting Beacon Police for some large events accounted for about $20,000 to $30,000. He said he values the district's current security staff and that any decision about SROs would need to consider budgetary trade-offs in the coming 2026-27 planning cycle. He emphasized the process would be involved and would not produce an immediate decision.
Student representatives raised questions and suggestions that the board said would inform future steps. Student Representative Aaron reported peers were "mostly on a neutral position" and suggested that how an SRO is introduced to students would matter. Student Representative Piper urged student representation on any hiring/interview committee and recommended assemblies to introduce any new SRO to each grade if the district were to hire one.
Matt said future materials will include what districts with SROs cite as their reasons and that, if the board desired, the district could pursue a joint presentation with the City of Beacon and the police department later in the process. He invited board feedback on the timeline for discussion.
No formal action on an SRO occurred at the Oct. 6 meeting; the superintendent framed the item as continuing discussion and budget review ahead of any formal proposal.
