Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bolivar R‑I holds public forum on school protection officer program; district to weigh training, costs and safeguards
Summary
Bolivar R‑I trustees and school staff hosted an open forum on a state-authorized school protection officer program. Deputy Mike Smith summarized training requirements, estimated costs and ongoing qualification rules; several residents urged implementation while others stressed mental-health and coordination concerns.
Deputy Mike Smith, a school resource officer and the district's safety and security coordinator, gave an overview of Missouri's school protection officer program and training requirements during an open forum before the Bolivar R‑I board meeting.
Missouri allows districts to designate certain employees to carry concealed on campus after completing an initial 120‑hour training program approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Post (Police Officer Standards and Training), Smith said. He described the program as ongoing, with quarterly range qualification and continuing education modules that include de‑escalation, first aid, legal limits on use of force, day/night stress qualifications and threat assessment training.
"The training just doesn't stop with that hundred and 20 hours," Smith said. He added that school protection officers must "qualify four times a year," and that the state can remove certification if the quarterly requirements are not met.
Why it matters: The district is exploring options to expand on-campus…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
