Common Council approves MOU placing 25 school resource officers in MPS after heated debate; 10–4 vote

The Milwaukee Common Council voted 10–4 to adopt a memorandum of understanding with Milwaukee Public Schools to place 25 school resource officers in city schools, a move council members said is required by state law and a court order.

The measure, recorded as common council file number 241707, passed after more than an hour of debate about funding, training and alternatives. Alderman Deandre Jackson presented the committee report and the MOU itself; Alderman Marina Dimitrijevich introduced, then withdrew, an amendment that would have expressed the council’s intent to appropriate any unanticipated MPS revenue from the agreement to Milwaukee Recreation for expanded youth programming including twilight center hours.

Dimitrijevich said the officers would not be new hires and that the $1,500,000 price tag referenced in discussion would be shared between the city and MPS: “Where are these 25 officers coming from? They’re not 25 new officers. They’re coming from our existing police force. Where is the $1,500,000 coming from? While it’s split with Milwaukee Public Schools…” She said she favored investment in prevention and after-school programming and raised concerns about a condensed, 40‑hour training the law requires.

Alderman Deandre Jackson and Alderman Scott Spiker urged adoption. Spiker and others noted thousands of calls for service to Milwaukee Public Schools and said dedicated, trained SROs can act as first responders, mentors and early-intervention partners. Supporters also warned of financial penalties for failing to comply with the court order tied to the state requirement for officers in schools.

Opponents pressed for more detail on the training curriculum, measurable outcomes and the long-term fiscal implications. Several members said they wanted any discussion about using MPS funds for other programming to proceed through committee rather than as an amendment on the council floor. Alderman Dimitrijevich withdrew her amendment and asked to pursue it as a substitute in committee.

Roll call on adoption of file 241707 recorded the votes as follows: Pratt—No; Chambers—Aye; Bauman—Aye; Westmoreland—Aye; Coggs—No; Jackson—Aye; Zamarripa—Aye; Taylor—No; Moore—Aye; Bergellis—Aye; Speicher—Aye; Dimitrijevich—No; Stamper—Aye; President—Aye. The clerk announced “10 ayes, 4 noes. The file passes.”

The council’s action implements an agreement residents and council members said derives from state law commonly referred to in the discussion as Act 12 and from court supervision referenced on the floor. The adopted MOU will place 25 officers in the targeted schools; discussion on the floor made clear the officers will come from the existing Milwaukee Police Department allocation rather than being newly hired positions. Dimitrijevich and other dissenting members said they will press for committee review of any reallocation of MPS funds.

Council members also asked for the SRO training curriculum and other implementation details; those items were described on the floor as outstanding at the time of the vote. The council did not specify which individual schools would receive officers in today’s vote. The MOU’s estimated fiscal figure of $1,500,000 was discussed as the total split between MPS and the city for the 25 officers for the current period; long‑term fiscal impacts were described by members as dependent on future budgets and placements.

The council’s action came after floor discussion and committee presentations earlier in the meeting; Alderman Dimitrijevich said she would reintroduce a proposal in committee to direct unanticipated MPS revenue to youth programming. The MOU was recorded as adopted by roll call and is now part of the council record.