Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Resource Officers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioner pushes commission to draft letter opposing removal of school resource officers after Margate move
Summary
A commissioner moved that the city commission draft a letter opposing the removal of local school resource officers after officials in Margate signaled plans to shift school policing; the commission voted 5-0 to authorize drafting and reviewing the letter before sending.
A commissioner urged the city commission to draft a letter opposing the removal of the citys school resource officers (SROs), saying a March 26 letter and actions in nearby Margate signaled a shift that could remove locally assigned SROs from schools.
The commissioner said the SRO arrangement has been "a symbiotic critical relationship with our community" for roughly 15 years and that negotiations over SRO contracts recur annually. The speaker said negotiators were "sandbagged" by a March 26 letter and asked the commission to "wordsmith" a draft opposing removal and supporting continued partnership with the school district.
"They cannot play this game with our community, with our students, with our teachers," the commissioner said, arguing that changes tied to school realignment could remove the city's officers from the building. The speaker noted other jurisdictions and organizations involved in the long-running talks, including the Broward League of Cities and the Broward City Managers Association.
Participants discussed funding context during the exchange. One participant said a recent ballot measure had passed and that some county distributions equated to "40¢ on the whatever dollar," a point raised during the discussion but not fully explained on the record. The transcript also recorded the commissioner saying Margate currently has 27 sworn law-enforcement officers assigned to its schools; that number was offered as background for why Margate could reassign or consolidate officers.
After asking whether any commissioner objected, the mover sought a roll call. The meeting recorded a roll-call vote: Commissioner Butler, Vice Mayor Lazaro, Mayor Cooper, Commissioner Matau and Commissioner Adams all voted "yes." The motion to draft and circulate a letter opposing removal of the city's SROs carried 5-0. The commissioner said the letter would not be sent without review by fellow commissioners and that staff would work with the police chief and the city manager on the draft.
The item closed with the unanimous vote; commissioners did not adopt policy changes at the meeting and directed staff to prepare the letter for the commission's review.
