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Elyria City board approves SRO MOU after parent raises safety concerns at Westwood
Summary
A resident told the board she was told the district did not renew an SRO at Westwood and urged immediate coverage; the board approved a superintendent-recommended MOU with the Lorain County Sheriff's Office on school resource officers as part of broader superintendent action items.
A resident urged the Elyria City Board of Education on Oct. 15 to allocate a school resource officer to Westwood after she said she was told the district had not renewed an SRO contract there. The board approved a superintendent's action package that included an MOU between the Elyria City School District and the Lorain County Sheriff's Office regarding SRO coverage.
Ashley Ancharke, who identified herself and gave her address during public comment, said she had asked the district for information about where SROs are assigned and that Major Jeff Kupina of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office told her the district had opted not to renew the SRO at Westwood. Ancharke said a screenshot of her email was shared with the sheriff's office and recounted a follow-up phone call: "I was informed that Elyria City School District opted not to renew their contract for an SRO at Westwood. Color me surprised." She urged the board to "focus on allocating at least one of those 7 SROs here to Westwood while there is still no result to the issue of the bathroom." She added, "I want the schools to thrive, and I also don't want dead children," and said she would oppose future levies if she felt student safety remained at risk.
Superintendent Len Hauser presented multiple action items later in the meeting, saying the superintendent's package included approval of an MOU with the Lorain County Sheriff's Office "regarding the SRO as detailed below." The board moved, seconded and approved the superintendent's action items by roll call.
The meeting transcript does not record a direct verbal response from the board or superintendent addressing Ancharke's description of the sheriff's account or the specific allocation of SROs at Westwood. The superintendent's item approving an MOU indicates the board took formal action related to SRO arrangements, but the text of the MOU and any operational changes to SRO assignments were not read into the public record during the meeting.
The board proceeded later in the agenda to adopt revised public-participation policies and to enter executive session. The MOU and any follow-up steps, including specifics about SRO assignments at particular schools, will determine whether Ancharke's concerns lead to immediate coverage changes.
