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St. Helens board approves intergovernmental agreement to place SRO at high school starting August 2025
Summary
Board approved an IGA with the City of St. Helens to fund a school resource officer at St. Helens High School beginning August 2025. Board discussion covered cost, hiring timeline and officer duties; community commenters urged both support and caution.
St. Helens — The St. Helens School District board voted on Jan. 29 to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the City of St. Helens to fund a school resource officer (SRO) at St. Helens High School beginning in August 2025.
Acting Superintendent Webb recommended reinstating the SRO program that had ended several years ago, saying the district plans to budget the position in the spring budget process. Webb told the board the annual cost for 1 officer is $170,000 and the district intends to place that cost in next year’s budget to provide time for hiring and training.
Acting Chief Hogue of the St. Helens Police Department said the city and department intend to recruit an experienced officer for the role rather than assign a newly trained recruit. Chief Hogue described a revised job description that emphasizes relationship‑building, classroom presentations, mentoring and crisis prevention in addition to a law‑enforcement role. He said the department expects the recruitment and onboarding demands to require time and community involvement; field training and academy timelines mean entry‑level officers typically take 18 to 24 months to reach full independent patrol readiness, so the department will seek a seasoned officer for the SRO position and backfill patrol duties.
Community reaction: Several public commenters supported returning officers to schools. Stephanie Kroll, who said she attended school with Chief Hogue, urged the board to bring police back, describing an officer who helped her as a youth. Other speakers, including Michelle Russell and several parents, supported the concept but urged strict trauma‑informed training, clarity about whether the officer is a resource for students or staff, and guarantees that students with disabilities receive appropriate handling. Commenters also urged that any background checks be national in scope.
Mandatory reporting and SRO role: Board members asked whether SROs are mandatory reporters; Chief Hogue said all police are mandatory reporters. Board members and commenters debated whether the presence of an SRO would have prevented prior incidents; several speakers said that the presence of an SRO does not, by itself, guarantee reporting or prevention and urged clarity on reporting procedures.
Board action: The board approved the IGA as presented. The IGA sets a target start date of August 2025 and an annual cost estimate of $170,000 for one officer assigned to St. Helens High School. District and city officials said the city will return to its council to seek funding and finalize staffing after the district’s approval.
Ending: With the IGA approved, district leaders said they will include the SRO position in the spring budget process, work with the police department on recruitment and onboarding, and return to the board with details about staffing and training timelines.
