On SROs in Seattle High Schools

As you may have seen, the Seattle Times had a recent editorial on School Resource Officers in Seattle high schools. It had an unfortunate headline - Cops and Schools are a Risky Mix, but Worth a Try in Seattle. 

I say that because many commenters felt that students should not fear police officers in their schools if students were not considering criminal activity. I'm not sure most of those commenters have had a student in high school in a long time. 

But an answer to the seemingly simple question of whether to deploy police officers in or around school buildings has stalled in a mire of surveys, focus groups and unending discussion. Call it the Seattle process, our habit of talking civic issues to death before taking action — except, in this case, every week of delay is a gamble that nothing serious will happen in the meantime. 

 The Seattle School Board appears poised, finally, to announce that the ultimate decision to have officers on campus will be up to each school’s individual community. Board President Gina Topp expects to address the issue at the board’s June 4 meeting, which happens to be exactly one year and two days since the still-unsolved murder outside Garfield.

Yes, Board President Topp will be opening a conversation about this topic at Wednesday's Board meeting. My understanding is that each high school will make its own decision, largely at the principal level, even possibly doing their own negotiations with SPD. This can make some sense because principals know their school populations better than anyone else. 

But I wonder if every single one of them has the chops to do this work. I would think district counsel would be present to help with any need for clarifying issues. 

Apparently Garfield would like a couple of officers stationed OUTSIDE the school building, rather than "patrolling the hallways." It is likely this idea of bringing back SROs will start (or pilot) at Garfield. 

On the other hand, Nathan Hale High School seems very against any SROs at their school. 

If each high school will decide on their own about SROs, then Garfield is not piloting anything really. 

It appears that the City will pay for these officers but is that short-term or long-term? 

To note, state law now requires every school to have an engagement process for an SRO.  Under this law, SROS are there to build positive relationships with students, address crime, and work on issues like gangs and drug activities in and around a school.

SROs, like other officers, have the authority to arrest students if probable cause exists and to physically restrain them if necessary.

SROs cannot inquire about citizenship, immigration status or place of birth, except as required by law.