CPD superintendent says police will "adjust" if school resources officers removed from CPS
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Within the past couple of weeks, three different shootings have killed a total of four Chicago Public Schools students and wounded two more – first near CICS Loomis-Longwood in Longwood Manor on the South Side, then near Innovations High School in the heart of the Loop downtown, and most recently Wednesday near Nicholas Senn High School in Edgewater on the North Side.
In the wake of the gun violence, police leaders have promised more officers outside schools. But the future of school resource officers, who work inside schools, is uncertain.
About 40 Chicago public high schools have at least one Chicago Police officer on patrol. In recent years, it has been left up to leaders at the individual school whether to have school resource officers in the building – but that choice may soon be going away.
Student-led protests surrounded City Hall in the months after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May 2020. Activists demanded that police officers be pulled from Chicago public schools.
This week, Mayor Brandon Johnson signaled that he supports ending the $10.3 million contract between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Police Department.
Currently, there are 16 high schools with two officers, and another 23 with one.
Police Supt. Larry Snelling said if the contract does end, officers will still have a presence outside campuses before and after school.
"We will adjust," Snelling said. "We're not going to be offended because we're voted out of the schools. We're just going to continue to do the work we do, and make sure that these kids are safe - especially at the schools where we know that we've had some problems with fights and violence."
Opponents of school resource officers – or SROs – argue that students arrested on campus often end up in the criminal justice system for in-school disciplinary incidents.
A study published by the University of Albany shows schools with SROs reduced fights and threats, and increased the detection of guns. But SROs' presence also increased suspensions, expulsions, and school-based arrests.
"When they're carefully selected, specifically trained, and properly equipped, [they're] a huge asset to a school campus," said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers.
Canady said removing SROs from schools also eliminates the relationship between law enforcement and students.
"Do we want to be in a situation where the school is having to call 911 - and have a patrol officer respond who probably doesn't have the same level of training the SRO does?" Canady said.
The Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on the future of school resource officers over the summer – and SROs could be removed as soon as next fall.
The Chicago Teachers Union issued the statement below on the issue:
CTU Statement on SROs 2024.PDF by Adam Harrington on Scribd
