School Board members on Tuesday, Jan. 20 will consider a resolution from School Board President Missy Zombor that could set limits on officers’ involvement in non-criminal behavior at school and require more detailed public reporting of their activity.
The program has been in place since March last year, after a state law forced 12 Milwaukee police officers to be assigned to MPS buildings, despite local objectionsfrom School Board members and other community leaders.
Since then, the program has been lauded by some school administrators and police for building relationships between officers and students. At a Jan. 12 meeting to educate parents about the program, Marshall High School Principal Steven Howell said it was making schools safer.
“If you’re not safe or you don’t feel safe, it’s hard to learn,” he said.
Capt. Vynetta Norberg, who oversees the school resource officer program, said officers strive to mentor students and refer them to supportive services, with the aim of keeping arrests and citations down.
Students with Youth Empowered in the Struggle, a student arm of immigrant and labor rights organization Voces de la Frontera, are skeptical of the program’s claims. They told the Journal Sentinel they’ve felt less safe since it started.