Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riverview School District urges continued funding for high‑school SRO as current levy nears expiration
Summary
Riverview School District leaders and Duval police told council that the dedicated school resource officer for the high school has improved safety and relationships, and they asked the city to consider continued funding when the supporting levy expires at the end of 2025.
Riverview School District superintendent Dr. Susan Leach and assistant superintendent for business Jen Robertson urged the Duval City Council on Jan. 7 to preserve funding for the high‑school school resource officer (SRO) position that has been funded through a voter levy that expires at the end of 2025.
Why it matters: School resource officers operate differently than school security staff and administrators, district leaders said — SROs build long‑term relationships with students and provide an on‑site law‑enforcement presence that the district and police chief say contributes to school safety.
What district leaders told council
Dr. Susan Leach said the district “cannot begin to express the level of security that we feel” from the Duval Police Department’s SRO work and described the officers as reliable, professional and central to handling incidents. Jen Robertson added that the SROs build relationships in a way the district’s own safety staff cannot replicate and that even when staffing shortages exist the police department has worked to provide coverage for the high school.
Financial context
Council members and staff noted that the current SRO position is funded through a district levy that expires at the end of 2025. Councilmembers discussed options for how the city and district might structure future funding — including continuing the levy, contracting services from the police department, or identifying alternative revenue sources — and asked staff to provide additional budget and timing information.
Council response and next steps
Chief Keller affirmed the department’s commitment to the school partnership and noted the SRO role both supports students and strengthens community policing. Councilmembers said they value the SRO relationship and asked staff to return with options and cost impacts for continued SRO coverage, including timing to align with upcoming levy or ballot decisions.
No final funding decision was made at the Jan. 7 meeting; staff will return with budget scenarios and timing considerations for council deliberation.
