Peoria study session reviews school safety program grant, SRO/SSO models and training

The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board held a study session March 13 to review the state School Safety Program (SSP) grant, school resource officer (SRO) and school safety officer (SSO) models, and related training and supports.

Arizona Department of Education (ADE) staff described the SSP grant as a three‑year state appropriation that funds positions including SROs, SSOs, juvenile probation officers, school counselors and school social workers. Staff said the state award is roughly $80 million annually and that a recent supplemental release made about $48 million available to districts during the current grant cycle. ADE staff said the grant is awarded in three‑year cycles and that the next application window opens March 1, 2026.

The ADE presenter said the department has trained more than 900 school safety officers statewide and described the SSO role as a flexible, limited‑duty option where local law enforcement can assign officers who do not serve full‑time in a school. ADE staff and board members stressed training requirements: SSOs complete asynchronous training and a shorter in‑person component; full‑authority SROs receive longer in‑person training and access to prepared lesson plans from the Arizona Bar Foundation. The presenter also described a school safety assessment and prevention team concept that pairs officers with counselors, social workers and school administrators to tailor supports to each campus.

Peoria and Glendale police chiefs attended and described current local staffing and how grant funding would be applied. Peoria Police Chief Thomas Intriere said Peoria currently places SROs at a subset of campuses and supports partnerships such as access to a real‑time crime center; he also said the department tracks trends such as social‑media driven false alarms and vaping, and that SROs provide mentorship and classroom instruction where appropriate. Interim Glendale Police Chief Colby Brandt said Glendale currently assigns officers as school liaisons across many schools and that the department is open to deploying SSOs where full‑time SROs are not feasible because of vacancies.

Board members asked whether grant funds can be repurposed if positions cannot be filled. ADE staff said pending legislation (House Bill 2074 / Senate Bill 1233, mirrors) would codify the SSO role in state law and include a provision allowing districts that apply for positions but cannot fill them to use those funds for training, technology or infrastructure improvements; that change is not effective unless passed and signed into law. ADE staff emphasized the department’s role as pass‑through for the funds and said the state appropriation is separate from federal grants such as Stronger Connections.

Public commenters urged caution about expanding police presence in schools and called for strong counseling and mental‑health supports. One parent spoke in favor of counselors and specialized mental‑health training rather than only law enforcement. Another parent asked for clarity about lesson topics taught by SROs and asked that parents be informed about suicide‑prevention curriculum.

Board members asked for more information about: which specific schools received SSOs under the present grants; how districts document SRO/SSO activity and student contacts; whether retired officers can serve as SSOs under proposed rule changes; and what local IGAs (intergovernmental agreements) with Peoria and Glendale require. ADE staff and police chiefs said IGAs and real‑time crime‑center arrangements are active topics and that updated IGAs were being prepared for board consideration.

Board discussion moved from the study session into the regular meeting; board members asked staff to return with details if they pursue SSP applications in the next grant cycle. The board did not take a formal vote on grant strategy at this meeting.

Ending note: ADE staff and local chiefs said training, careful assignment and school‑district collaboration are central to the department’s approach and encouraged districts to consider SSOs when sworn vacancies prevent full SRO staffing.