MILWAUKEE — For months, TMJ4 has been speaking to parents and students about School Resource Officers (SROs) returning to Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).
It's been a full year since SROs were supposed to be implemented. A Milwaukee County judge says the time for delays is running out.
The district now has until Feb. 17 to reintroduce 25 officers to MPS.
The city and district say gridlock in their negotiations over the past year regarding funding is preventing them from moving forward.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
-MPS parent behind lawsuit reacts to court ruling on school resource officers
-Parent sues MPS over lack of school resource officers
-Dozens share their thoughts on MPS's delay in implementing the SRO program
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"Is there anything that's stalling the negotiations right now specifically?" TMJ4's Mariam Mackar asked Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
"I'm hoping whatever that happens to be, we can finally get that squashed and just get this done next week," Johnson said.
The mayor says MPS leadership has been invited to City Hall next week to iron out the details, saying, "It's past time to get it done."
But what would bringing officers back into schools look like, and does MPD have enough staff for it?
Mackar tried asking those questions to Police Chief Jeffery Norman.
In an email, his spokesperson said, "The chief is not accommodating any interviews."
When Mackar referred those questions to the spokesperson, he sent a statement reading: "The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) has always and will continue to provide police services to MPS when needed. The city and MPD are operating in good faith in the discussions with MPS. Any questions related to the negotiations between the parties should be routed to their legal representatives."
"Do you think this can be done by the Feb. 17 deadline?" Mackar asked Johnson.
"I certainly hope so. I mean, of course there's training that has to go for those officers to make sure they have the training necessary to be school resource officers—so we'll certainly make the best effort to do that so we can just get it done."
The MPS Board of Directors released this updated statement Friday afternoon regarding the effort to implement SROs.
As it has all along, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) remains ready to implement a School Resource Officer (SRO) program as soon as officers are made available by the City of Milwaukee.
The Court's decision on January 23rd ordering the City of Milwaukee to participate in the Implementation of the SRO program at MPS is a recognition that the City plays an integral role in implementation of the SRO program.
Judge Borowski said, "If not completely indispensable party, it's my belief that they (the City of Milwaukee) are certainly a necessary party to the realistic resolution of this case."
At an unrelated event Thursday afternoon, Governor Evers pressed MPS to get this done, while also recognizing the district's position on the cost, "All I can say is that the school district has a decent argument that they weren't really part of the conversation. The other two - the Republicans and the City - were. So somehow there has to be some recognition that the City may need to pony up the money."
MPS continues to stand ready to get this done and remains committed to working collaboratively with the City to find resolution and build a successful and sustainable SRO program.
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