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District says SRO contract will provide four officers for now; fifth position remains open amid staffing shortages
Summary
Administrators told the board the 2024–25 school resource officer (SRO) agreement provides for four SROs this year; the district continues to seek a fifth officer but staffing shortages across neighboring districts have limited availability. Funding includes an Indiana Department of Homeland Security grant and district referendum dollars.
District staff updated the board on the 2024–25 school resource officer (SRO) agreement and said the contract being recommended provides for four SROs rather than the five the district aims to employ.
During the briefing a district administrator said the shortage of available officers in the region — despite coordination with county police — is the primary reason a fifth SRO has not been secured. The administrator noted many neighboring districts are hiring SROs, which has constrained county department staffing.
Funding sources for the SROs, as discussed in the meeting packet and by staff, include a roughly $100,000 Indiana Department of Homeland Security grant, a significant portion coming from district referendum dollars, and the remainder drawn from the Education Fund. Staff also said the SRO agreement is processed through the county and county commissioners before returning to the district.
Why it matters: SRO coverage affects on-campus staffing for safety and school–police relationships; staffing shortfalls may affect site coverage models and response planning.
Board members asked questions about whether four officers will meet district needs and were told staff will continue to pursue a fifth officer. No formal vote on the agreement was recorded in the transcript excerpt; the item was presented as a recommendation and update.
The board packet and the presentation indicate the district intends to keep pursuing the fifth SRO while moving forward with the four-officer agreement that is available through county processes.
