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Police say SRO program will be suspended for 2025–26; department plans interim coverage and a restart once staffing allows
Summary
The police chief told the East Windsor School District board the district’s school resource officer (SRO) program will be suspended for the 2025–26 school year after the assigned officer left and contract eligibility limits candidates; the department said it will use a community service officer for daily school checks and keep other school programs (including DARE) running.
The East Windsor School District board on July 23 heard from the police chief and deputy chief that the district’s SRO program will be suspended for the 2025–26 school year while the police department recruits and resolves collective-bargaining eligibility constraints.
“In no way do we want to get rid of the program. We're not trying to terminate the program,” the chief said, explaining Officer Valencia Lindsay left the department and that the collective bargaining agreement requires officers to have two years' service before taking special assignments such as SRO. He said the department plans a one-year suspension to allow a broader pool of eligible candidates and to redesign the position so it is more dedicated to school duties.
The deputy chief described an interim approach. “One of the functions of our community service officer is going to be basically our adjunct SRO,” he said, adding the officer will begin each day at the station and then report directly to East Windsor High School to check in with the secretary, the principal and the school security director, Nelson. The deputy chief emphasized the department will continue to respond to criminal matters and to support school safety.
Board members asked whether classroom programs would be affected. Chief and deputy chief said DARE and other in-school programs will continue: “This summer, Officer Sanchez is . . . going to get the instruction to be there and we're going to continue that program with her in this next year,” one of the police presenters said.
Superintendent Tudan and the board were told the earliest a new SRO could be placed on campus is January because a candidate who is pregnant will be unavailable until then; the department therefore intends to identify and train a candidate in the year ahead and to resume a full SRO assignment in the 2026–27 school year.
Board members thanked the officers for the update and noted they value the partnership. The board did not take any formal vote on the program’s future during the meeting; the chief said the department will coordinate further with administration and the board as staffing and bargaining timelines evolve.
Next steps: the police and district administration will continue joint planning over the coming year and inform the board before the 2026 summer training cycle.
