MILWAUKEE — A judge on Thursday held the City of Milwaukee in contempt of court for its failure to provide student resource officers (SROs) in Milwaukee Public Schools.
Judge David Borowski said the city will be fined $1,000 each day the City does not provide SROs beginning Feb. 27.
The Judge placed a stay on the sanction until March 15. That means, if the city does not show adequate proof of progress regarding the matter by March 15, they will be forced to pay nearly $17,000 dollars in fines.
Watch: Judge holds City of Milwaukee in contempt of court:
Borowski set a deadline of February 27 in a hearing last week, which was not met.
The order is the result of a Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty lawsuit filed last year on behalf of the mother of an MPS student. The lawsuit claimed the district violated a state law requiring SROs in Milwaukee schools starting on January 1, 2024.
In Thursday's hearing, Borowski accused the Milwaukee Police Department of "running out the clock" until students are out of school in May or June.
"One could surmise that the goal of the city is to run this out past when the kids are out of school in May or June, Borowski said. "In my view it has been the City's intent for a year and a half, either intentionally or neglectfully, to run out the clock in this type of situation."
Borowski had harsh words for both sides - he also called Milwaukee Public Schools an "embarrassment to the city."
Milwaukee Public Schools released the following statement in response to Borowski's ruling:
"At the onset of ACT 12’s passage, the District made every effort to work with the City of Milwaukee and with stakeholders to ensure compliance with ACT 12. As we have shared, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) stands ready to implement a School Resource Officer (SRO) program as soon as officers are made available to the district. MPS will continue to do everything within our power to ensure compliance with the law and to honor Judge David Borowski’s ruling."
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