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District presents SRO proposal and 483‑respondent survey; parents and staff voice mixed views
Summary
Washington Unified presented town‑hall and survey findings on a proposed School Resource Officer program, reporting mixed community views and a tentative budget allocation of $377,000; speakers stressed training, equity and data transparency.
District staff summarized community feedback and recommended steps on a possible School Resource Officer (SRO) program during the April 10 board meeting, saying a budget of roughly $377,000 had been tentatively identified to fund one SRO.
The district collected 483 survey responses (389 parents/caregivers, 107 staff and 22 others, staff said) and held multiple town halls. Presenters said physical security, threat assessment capacity and active‑shooter response were often cited as desired SRO duties, but the town‑hall comments also repeatedly raised concerns about training, racial bias, disproportionate impacts on marginalized students and alternatives such as restorative practices.
“$377,000 has been allocated for this initiative,” a district presenter said, noting the figure would cover officer salary, training and equipment. The presentation summarized mixed student input — some students favor a deterrent and relationship building; others find a constant police presence intimidating.
Why it matters: Proposals for on‑campus law‑enforcement presence raise questions about equity, disciplinary outcomes and how funds should be allocated. At least one public speaker asked whether those dollars should instead be used to shore up staff pay or special‑education positions.
Board and community reaction: Trustees asked for a clearer timeline and more student input. Several trustees emphasized data transparency and cross‑agency coordination with the city and police department. District staff said the police department and city are partners in planning and that funding details and implementation steps would be worked out in the coming months.
What’s next: Staff recommended continued vulnerability assessments, site hardening and community engagement as immediate steps; trustees directed staff to present a clearer implementation timeline and to collect broader student survey data for grades 6–12.
