Poudre School Board Votes To Keep School Resource Officers In District Buildings
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- The Poudre School Board voted on Tuesday night to keep school resource officers in the district buildings. Last month, a committee commissioned by the school board officially recommended the district eliminate SROs from all district buildings.
In a survey that students, parents and staff completed in 2021, an overwhelming majority of respondents expressed their content with the way the SRO program is currently operating. Many parents took to social media saying they were confused how the CAC's results contrasted that of the community directly involved with PSD.
The school board took up the topic and voted 6-to-1 to keep the SROs in district buildings. Naomi Johnson was the only school board member who voted no.
Supporters maintain that the SROs keep students safe and those opposed say that SROs lead to more severe punishment than necessary.
"I think security has improved by SROs being visible to and building relationships with students and staff. SRO's can play a role in presenting the student groups about safety and agreed-upon topics," said Poudre School Board member Nate Donovan.
"The reality of embedding police officers in schools is that children who act out are being exposed to criminal punishment where school discipline would have been more appropriate," said Poudre School Board member Naomi Johnson.
If the board would have voted to remove SROs, those officers could have been replaced with police liaisons who would be stationed near schools.