Board approves 18‑month School Resource Officer MOU with Richmond Police after amendment

Richmond Community Schools trustees voted to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Richmond Police Department to formalize School Resource Officer (SRO) management, amending the agreement on the floor to specify an 18‑month term before passing the motion 6–1.

Nut graf: The MOU frames the working relationship between the district and the Richmond Police Department for SROs assigned to district schools. Trustees debated and corrected inconsistent language in the draft—members noted the contract language referenced different term lengths in separate sections—and amended the motion to set the contract term at 18 months. After the amendment was made and seconded, the board passed the amended MOU by roll call (vote recorded as 6 yes, 1 no).

Discussion: Following the vote, a trustee (name not specified in the transcript) offered a comment emphasizing that student safety is “paramount,” thanking the many people who contributed to the MOU development and expressing hope the partnership will serve students effectively in coming years. The board’s public record shows they accepted the MOU with the amendment to Section 2.1 to reflect the 18‑month term.

What the MOU does: The MOU establishes roles, term length, and operational points for SRO presence in district schools as negotiated between the district and the Richmond Police Department. Staff indicated they would update the document language to match the board’s amendment and proceed with implementation steps in coordination with the police department.

Ending: The board moved on after the vote to its finance session; trustees asked staff to ensure the final published MOU language is internally consistent (term and percentage cost language were referenced during discussion).