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Garland Police detail SRO staffing and cost split with GISD as budget talks continue
Summary
Police and finance staff outlined the staffing and cost allocation for the SRO program — 31 SROs, three supervisors, and a shared cost model with GISD — ahead of FY25–26 budget hearings.
Savannah Martin and city budget staff summarized Garland’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program and how its costs are shared with Garland Independent School District (GISD) as council reviewed the FY2025–26 proposed operating budget.
Staff said the SRO program includes 31 SRO officers, three supervisors and one administrative assistant. Eight SROs (six assigned to high schools and two floaters) are funded 100 percent by GISD; the remaining 23 SROs, the three supervisors and the SRO administrative assistant are budgeted on a 50/50 cost‑share basis between the city and GISD. Officers’ equipment (police gear) is paid by the police department; office supplies and in‑school equipment are paid by GISD. Vehicles and associated fleet charges are split 50/50. GISD pays 100 percent of SRO overtime; staff noted that overtime is typically front‑loaded in the budget as a revenue offset from GISD.
City staff presented a projected total program cost of about $6.3 million with the city portion approximately $2.237 million (about 35 percent of the total). Staff explained components behind per‑officer charges (salary plus benefits and a notional loaded cost around $73,000 per officer per side) and vehicle fleet charges (example: Chevrolet Tahoe pursuit vehicle ~ $25,000 per year ERF + annual fleet charge). Savannah Martin said the cost‑split reflects the relationship between the city and GISD in providing armed SROs and that officers provide law‑enforcement resources and school partnerships that, in her description, “are backed by the entire resources of the Garland Police Department.”
Councilmembers asked about deployment impacts after school consolidations and about elementary‑level SRO coverage. Staff said changes such as consolidated campuses can increase traffic and that and officers and GISD are monitoring early‑year traffic and access issues; staff reported no major operational concerns but acknowledged heavier traffic at some consolidated campuses. Councilmember Moore asked about whether GISD should pay a larger share; Chief Savannah Martin defended the program’s value and the city’s cost as a “very good bargain” given the department resources it brings into schools.
No formal budget decisions were made in the work session; staff reminded council of upcoming public hearings on the FY25–26 budget and invited continued questions and suggested fee/line‑item follow‑up before budget adoption at the scheduled meetings.
