Hobbs Board approves joint SRO agreement with city and Lee County

The Hobbs Municipal Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Sept. 16 to approve a memorandum of understanding to station school resource officers (SROs) on district campuses through a three-party agreement with the City of Hobbs and the Lee County Sheriff.

The MOU, described to the board as a collaborative arrangement, spells out duties, program structure and expectations for uniformed officers while on campus and commits Hobbs Municipal Schools to contributing increased funding for after-school coverage and other support. Board members were told the district has historically provided $12,000 to the city for SRO coverage and will increase that contribution to $30,000 under the new agreement.

"It was a refreshing conversation," Board President Terry O'Brien said, describing meetings that included Hobbs Police leadership, Lee County Sheriff's Office leadership and district staff. "They were cooperative. They were willing to meet the need to provide uniformed officers to our campuses across Hobbs."

District staff said the city approved the agreement at its meeting the night before and that the MOU represents a first-of-its-kind, multi-agency partnership for the district: rather than a single-agency SRO contract, the agreement formalizes participation by both the municipal police department and the county sheriff's office.

The board sought and received a motion to approve the MOU; the motion carried on a voice vote. Board members voting in favor during the roll call included Calderone, Jones, Romine and President O'Brien.

The agreement outlines responsibilities for officers while on campus and the district's funding commitment; district staff said the arrangement will continue to be refined between the three parties. No specific start date or staffing numbers were provided during the meeting.

District leaders framed the MOU as one step in broader safety work that includes campus security vestibules, camera coverage and other facility upgrades under active planning or construction projects.

The district continues to describe safety and security as a high priority as it implements the new MOU.

Possible next steps noted by staff included finalizing administrative details with the city and county and integrating the arrangement with the district's ongoing facility and security work.

Action taken: approval of the SRO joint agreement.