Franklin Pierce board renews SRO agreement, plans community conversation on policing and safety

The Franklin Pierce School Board voted to approve an agreement with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department to provide two school resource officers (SROs) for the 2024–25 school year, continuing a multi-year arrangement that places one deputy primarily on the district’s east side and one on the west side.

Deputy Superintendent Hester (speaker 6) described the contract as largely the same as prior years but noted a roughly 5.5% increase in the district’s cost for the deputies. "It’s essentially the same contract. There’s a little bit of an increase about a 5.5% increase on the cost to the district," Hester said. He told trustees that deputies’ presence at extracurricular events is scheduled and that coverage for games and evening activities generally carries an additional cost to the district.

Superintendent Goodpaster and board members said the budget advisory task force recommended maintaining the current level of SRO staffing for now but urged a structured community engagement process this year to examine what safety should look like in district schools. "My recommendation is to maintain what we have in place in status quo, but engage in a process where we really can have the community come together and talk through this conversation," Goodpaster said.

Why it matters: SROs and policing in schools are a frequent community concern; the board paired the operational decision to fund two deputies with a pledge to convene students, staff, families and community members to reconsider the district’s broader approach to safety and investments.

Outcome: The motion to approve the SRO agreement was moved, seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.