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Buffalo board unanimously asks district to formalize MOU with Buffalo Police on school resource officers
Summary
The Buffalo board passed a resolution directing district staff to establish a formal written agreement with the Buffalo Police Department to clarify school resource officer roles, payments and collaboration after trustees said prior arrangements lacked a binding contract.
The Buffalo Board of Education on Nov. 20 unanimously approved a resolution requesting a formal written agreement between Buffalo Public Schools and the Buffalo Police Department to govern how school resource officers and BPD personnel work with district schools.
Board member Larry Scott, who introduced the resolution, said the district has paid for police services for years but lacks a standing MOU or contract to clarify responsibilities and payments. "We believe we should have some sort of formal agreement in place," Scott said, noting the need for clear communications and defined payments for services.
During discussion trustees and staff said the superintendent and general counsel have been working on the issue but that formal board action would underscore the accounting and oversight concerns. A board member cited generally accepted accounting principles requiring a written agreement before payments are made to another municipality.
Board members also noted longstanding attempts to resolve the matter and urged renewed engagement with city officials, saying the new city administration might make it an opportune time to finalize terms.
The board approved the measure by roll-call; staff recorded the motion as passed unanimously. The resolution asks district staff and the Buffalo Police Department to include stakeholders identified by both entities when drafting the agreement and to return with a proposed MOU for board approval.
Next steps: The resolution directs staff to develop draft agreement language and a payment schedule for review by the board; timing and a public release timeline were not specified at the meeting.
