Santa Rosa City Schools may soon bring back school resource officers (SROs) after a five-year absence.
Following a student stabbing at Montgomery High School in 2023, the district suspended the program amid concerns about police presence on campuses. However, escalating violence and community pressure led the school board to approve a three-year pilot program.
A joint committee of school board members and city council members is now working on a revised contract for the SROs. Proposed changes include limiting officer involvement to situations with “clear and present danger,” restricting their role in school discipline, and collecting data on student interactions with officers, with a focus on racial disparities.
The community has also expressed concerns about SROs collaborating with immigration authorities, which the board is seeking to address in the revised contract.
The joint committee is expected to reconvene soon to finalize the contract and determine when the SROs will return to campuses.
