MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Public School district is ten days past a deadline set by state lawmakers to have 25 school resources officers stationed at MPS schools by the beginning of the new year.
The Milwaukee Police Department is responsible for providing those specially trained officers who are still not in schools.
For the past two weeks, TMJ4 has wanted to ask Milwaukee Police Chief Jeff Norman where MPD stands with its commitment to provide more than two dozen officers to the initiative. During a news conference Wednesday on another subject, we got our chance.
“Does the Milwaukee Police Department have 25 school resource officers ready to go fore MPS and what challenges has your department faced along the way to fulfill that requirement?” TMJ4 reporter Ben Jordan asked.
At this particular point, we don't have actual officers chosen for this,” Chief Norman replied. "We will continue to utilize that particular process of handpicking the right type of officers who want to be in this particular engagement, but also know how to work within the parameters of what our partners want.”
Chief Norman suggested MPD is still early on in the planning stages despite the January 1 deadline.
The Milwaukee Police union says no new officers have received the special training required to be an S.R.O., meaning it could be several months before MPD has officers at schools.
“What would you say to lawmakers who think that should have already been done?” Jordan asked.
"That's their prerogative,” Chief Norman replied.
It isn’t just the Milwaukee Police Department that isn’t ready, M.P.S. says it also needs more time.
MPS’ superintendent and its school board president declined to do interviews Wednesday to talk about the delay. However, the school board president told TMJ4 off-camera that the district is trying to figure out how it will fully fund the initiative, something she thinks is unfair for a district already under financial constraints.
Some high school seniors say they think MPS and MPD should have plans finalized by now after having more than half a year to prepare.
"It's not fair for MPS to be slacking on their end and we have to meet ours,” said Unijah Tillman.
"We're expected to meet deadlines and stuff then why shouldn't they follow their own orders,” added a student named Sasha.
It’s important to note that the legislation that requires 25 school resources officers doesn’t come with an outlined punishment for missing the January 1 deadline.
MPS has had school resource officers in the past. The district chose to remove officers from inside its schools in 2016. A few specially-trained officers were stationed in neighborhoods nearby in order to respond quickly. In 2020, the school board voted to end all contracts with the police department.
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