Hot Springs Council approves 1-year school resource officer agreement after debate over costs and supervision

The Hot Springs City Council on May 5 approved a one-year School Resource Officer (SRO) agreement with the Hot Springs School District for the 2025–26 school year, after discussion about how the city calculates the cost of the position, supervision arrangements and the officer’s call volume.

The finance officer presented a breakdown showing the city’s cost to employ a police officer at $30.86 per hour in base pay, rising to $40.73 per hour when benefits are included. Under the contract the school is offering $46,305 toward an officer assigned 40 hours per week during the school year. The council voted to accept the agreement by roll call; all members present voted yes.

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the vote as both a budget decision and a public-safety issue. City staff argued the SRO handles hundreds of school-related incidents that would otherwise require patrol responses, while the school district…