Police Officers in Schools – Are they worth the expense?

By Mike Simmons

I recently did a quick search on the Internet (which we all know is scientific) to determine how many states have police officers in every school. While I couldn’t get a straight answer from Gemini, I did learn some interesting facts. A few years ago, in the midst of the “Defund the Police” circus, many school districts – especially those in large cities – reduced or eliminated the School Resource officers from their properties. Other districts passed new laws and rules that prohibited officers from taking certain actions, thereby handcuffing them. Most of the answers given were similar to “they cause students to be uncomfortable,” or “they make arrests for issues that are none of their business.” But the underlying reason in many school districts was money, same as always.

Recently, the numbers have risen somewhat. Some school districts have begun to increase the presence of officers in schools. Many parents have discovered that the presence of police officers keep their children safer – ya think?

When I was a young officer, the School Resource Officer program was in its infancy. One officer, Officer Cramer, was assigned to a high school, probably as a test run. Maybe it was the energy and engagement of Officer Cramer, or maybe it was the genius of the creator of the program, but it worked well – very well. Within a few years, all high schools in our area had a school resource officer assigned. This was followed by the middle schools, then by two officers at each high school.

On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on the students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Cruz killed 17 and injured another 17. Within months, new state laws were created to combat the tragedy happening again. One of the laws was the mandate for every public school (K-12) to have an officer assigned to it.

Was it a good idea? No…it was a great idea! Yes, it cost a lot of money – a lot. Sheriffs, police chiefs, city council members, school board members, and county commissioners were all scrambling to see how they could meet the new mandates. But they did it. They made it happen.

Of course it was very expensive. According to the location, officers cost anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000 a year to employ. And most young officers – who are paid less – don’t want to work in a school. They want to chase bad guys on the street. So the older, more expensive officers often go to the schools. Some school districts have school police departments while others simply hire school officers that are trained by local police.

What followed in Florida was a new “arm” of many police and sheriff’s departments. Entire sections of SROs now exist. And guess what…the money was found to support them.

Since 2018, several states have decided to outfit each school with an officer. The result? Crime is down, kids’ behavior is kept in check, and the officers almost always develop relationships with the kids – all positive.

You see, it never was the lack of officers or the difficulty in finding someone to work in the schools. Yes, many older officers don’t like to “be stuck” in a school all day. They have been told it is a step down. However, those who embrace it find it very vital and fulfilling.

The real issue that there is any pushback at all is the same issue that is found at the bottom of many issues – money. It is expensive to assign an officer to every public school.

What I don’t understand is this: These are our children, our own kids! This is the future of our nation, yet we don’t feel it is necessary to spend our tax dollars on it. We would rather spend our money on…what?

Are they worth the expense? Of course they are!

But even if every public school has an officer assigned to it, a huge problem still exists. More and more, vouchers are becoming more popular for use by parents to make the decision for their children to attend schools other than state-sponsored schools. The popularity of private schools is increasing daily. And…the last time I checked, law enforcement officers are tasked with protecting them just as much as kids that attend public schools. Why can’t private schools be given the same luxury as public schools? Are they not as important?

Makes you go, “Hmmm…”