Committee approves SRO standards, model MOU and training requirements

Senator Missy Ervin described Senate Bill 407 as a complement to the earlier school-safety measure, focusing on memoranda of understanding between districts and local law enforcement when a school resource officer (SRO) is assigned. "If you have a school resource officer on your campus, there really needs to be some clearly defined boundaries about what that school resource officer does on the campus," Ervin said.

The bill requires an MOU addressing chain of command, financial responsibilities, role definitions and training expectations. SB 407 also codifies a 40-hour basic SRO course, an 18-month window for SROs to complete required training (a compromise from proposed 12 or 24 months), and a five-year refresher certification schedule. Dr. Cheryl May, director of the Criminal Justice Institute and Arkansas Center for School Safety, said the 18 months reflected stakeholder compromise and that interim and modular options will be available while officers complete the 40-hour class.

Committee members pressed the sponsor and Dr. May on whether MOUs will make clear when an SRO may arrest on campus and whether SROs should be used for student discipline. Dr. May said the model MOU is intended to clarify discipline roles and chain of command and that the department and Arkansas Center for School Safety will work together to create a model MOU to promote statewide consistency.

Administrators and AAEA executive director Dr. Mike Hernandez discussed prioritizing modules in the SRO curriculum and said the profession already expects law enforcement officers to receive basic policing training before SRO-specific work. The committee moved, seconded and passed the bill by voice vote; sponsor said rules and model MOUs will be developed following passage.