The 10 largest Twin Cities school districts' plans for school resource officers
MINNEAPOLIS — A law passed earlier this year at the Minnesota Capitol has led several school districts and law enforcement agencies to rethink their use and deployment of school resource officers (SROs).
The law restricts the use of force on students unless a student poses a bodily risk to themselves or others. And a part of the law forbids SROs and school district employees from placing students in certain physical holds, including putting weight on a student's head, throat, neck and chest, and putting them face down on the ground.
RELATED: What is the exact language of the new law concerning school resource officer conduct?
Several law enforcement agencies across the state have already pulled SROs, fearing costly lawsuits and legal action against officers.
Several Minnesota politicians, law enforcement departments and unions, and school districts are calling on Gov. Tim Walz to enact a special session to modify the details of what they believe is flawed legislation.
WCCO reached out to the 10 largest school districts in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to find out if they plan to use SROs this school year.
Anoka-Hennepin Schools
The Anoka County Sheriff's Office, the Anoka Police Department and several neighboring law enforcement partners — including Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids police departments — will not station SROs in the following Anoka-Hennepin Schools:
- Andover High School (Anoka County Sheriff)
- Anoka High School (Anoka Police)
- Anoka Middle School for the Arts (Anoka Police)
- Blaine High School (Blaine Police)
- Champlin Park High School (Brooklyn Park Police)
- Coon Rapids High School (Coon Rapids Police)
- Coon Rapids Middle School (Coon Rapids Police)
- Northdale Middle School (Coon Rapids Police)
- Oak View Middle School (Anoka County Sheriff)
- River Trail Learning Center at L.O. Jacob (Coon Rapids Police)
- Roosevelt Middle School (Blaine Police)
Lakeville Area Schools
The district has an SRO from the Lakeville Police Department at Lakeville North High School and Lakeville South High School.
Minneapolis Public Schools
Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Minneapolis Public Schools ended its SRO contract with the Minneapolis Police Department.
Mounds View Public School District
The New Brighton Department of Public Safety will continue to provide some SROs at district schools. The Mounds View Police Department and the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office stopped providing SROs at the start of the school year, with the latter agency saying that they would not be signing a contract to provide officers to Edgewood Middle School, Pinewood Elementary School, or Mounds View Bridges Program. On Oct. 3, Mounds View police announced an SRO would return to district schools.
Osseo Area Schools
The Maple Grove Police Department has pulled SROs from Maple Grove Senior High School, and the Brooklyn Park Police Department has pulled its officers from Park Center Senior High School following a fight this school year that injured the assistant principal.
Robbinsdale Area Schools
The Plymouth Police Department will no longer place SROs at Armstrong High School and Plymouth Middle School. The department, however, will continue to provide safety and security at the schools
The New Hope Police Department started the school year with SROs at Cooper High School, but then decided to suspend its agreement with Robbinsdale Area Public Schools on Sept. 19.
The Robbinsdale Police Department doesn't have the staffing to place an SRO at Robbinsdale Middle School, but that may change later in the fall.
The Golden Valley Police Department may bring SROs back to Sandburg Middle School and Robbinsdale Academy-Highview, subject to a review of its contract with the district that will be discussed at a Board of Education meeting set for Sept. 6.
New Hope and Plymouth police departments will continue to provide support at major school events and sports games at Armstrong and Cooper high schools.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Independent School District No. 196
At the start of the school year, the district said SROs will continue to be placed at each of the district's six high schools, and three SROs will move between the district's six middle schools. But on Sept. 20, the Eagan Police Department announced it would be pulling SROs from Eagan schools.
South Washington County County School District
The Woodbury Police Department will continue to have one SRO at Woodbury High School and East Ridge High School. And the Cottage Grove Police Department will continue to have one SRO at Park High School.
St. Paul Public Schools
Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, St. Paul Public Schools ended its SRO contract with the St. Paul Police Department. A spokesperson with the district said:
"There is not a plan to bring back SROs to Saint Paul Public Schools. SPPS is committed to ensuring the safety of our students and staff, with extensive staffing and security measures in place at all of our buildings. Our trained security staff, known as School Support Liaisons or SSLs, are growing in numbers, with up to three at every high school and at least one at every middle school and K-8 campus this year. In addition, our ongoing partnership with the Saint Paul Police Department and Office of Neighborhood Safety, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice and a $1 million violence prevention grant, are essential pieces of our commitment to making our schools as safe as they can be."
Wayzata Public School District
The Wayzata Police Department will no longer have an SRO at Wayzata West Middle School.