MILWAUKEE — After years without a police presence in Milwaukee Public Schools, school resource officers will make a comeback this year.
MPS was required by the new shared revenue plan to have 25 officers hired by January 1. Since the deadline has passed it remains unclear whether the school district made any of those hires.
"I think if the security guards are trained properly and they know how to handle students then I think it would be a good thing," MPS parent Aminah Ahmed said.
"An extra layer of security is a good thing with all this been happening," parent Cedric stated.
"Anytime we're as a society encouraging cops to be around kids, because were saying it's a necessity I think we got to take a step back and look at what we're saying about ourselves as a society," said Kyle Johnson, political director with Black Leaders Organizing for Communities said.
Opinions are mixed on the state-mandated addition of school resource officers at MPS. They were removed back in 2016, and the district cut ties with MPD completely in 2020.
In a statement, MPS said in addition to working with stakeholders the district visited public schools in Washington D.C. and 3 communities in Georgia including Atlanta to observe SRO programs focused on improving relationships between schools, police and youth.
"If they're going around different states and asking how it's turning out hopefully they're getting critical feedback," Johnson responded.
"Administration has been thinking about this with fidelity and given that it's law I think that they have done the best job that they possibly can," vice president of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors Jilly Gokalgandhi
Gokalgandhi stressed that using the state's $7 billion surplus to invest in public schools would better serve the community.
"We have 130+ schools. What is 25 people who aren't contributing to the academic success of our kids or the after-school activities, or the extracurricular success to our kids....What is that going to do," Gokalgandhi pressed.
MPS district leaders say they look forward to presenting their plan to the school board.
It is not clear when that will happen.
Read the full statements from MPS and MPD below.
From MPS:
“Milwaukee Public Schools continues to collaborate with stakeholders, including student groups, the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA), the Administrators and Supervisors Council (ASC), district staff, community members and the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). Our goal is to develop a plan, in partnership with MPD, that redefines the previous role of the school resource officer.
“In addition to working with local stakeholders, MPS conducted site visits at public schools in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Fulton County, GA; and Bibb County, GA. During these visits, district representatives observed school resource officer programs that implement a variety of practices focused on improving relationships between schools, law enforcement, youth, and the greater community.
“We look forward to submitting our plan to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors. MPS anticipates a collaborative, positive partnership with key stakeholders moving forward.”
From MPD:
The Milwaukee Police Department has been in communication with Milwaukee Public Schools on fulfilling the school resource officer requirement in a manner that best meets the needs of our community. MPD anticipates a collaborative positive partnership with MPS and its students.
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