The Norman City Council approved the allocation of $900,995 towards the addition of four school resource officers at Norman Public Schools during its Tuesday meeting.
The resolution passed by a vote of 7-2, with Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler and Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant voting against it. The school resource officer program expansion will come from the general fund balance.
In 2014, the city approved 13 school resource officer positions in Norman Public Schools with the continuation of the Public Sales Safety Tax.
Nine of the 13 positions had been filled by September of this year, according to Norman City Council’s Sept. 26 meeting agenda. The vote for the resolution was initially postponed during Norman City Council’s Sept. 26 meeting.
Two days later, Norman High School received a threat of violence from a former student living outside of Oklahoma.
In response, Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball reaffirmed his support for the school resource officer program expansion. Schueler said postponing the vote would allow for further questioning into the expansion’s level of public spending.
A week later, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and the Cleveland County Commissioners funded 17 officers, with one being placed at each NPS elementary school.
During the Tuesday meeting, Chad Vincent, a Norman Police Department major who delivered a presentation about the proposal, said the department could have all four additional officers ready by the next school year.
Vincent said the total annual recurring cost for four student resource officers is $647,684. The cost for four vehicles would be $345,200.
On Tuesday, Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant asked NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino why the school district is rushing to fund the four proposed school resource officers considering the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and the Cleveland County Commissioners recently funded 17 school resource officers for all of Norman Public Schools’ elementary school sites.
“I think the rush is to meet the PSST,” Migliorino replied.
Migliorino said the school district does not have a plan if the county decides to stop funding its 17 school resource officers.
Vincent said he wants to select veteran police officers who have demonstrated compassion and the ability to mentor students. He said additional background checks will not be utilized and the appointment of officers will be based on their previous performance.
“From the very start of the program, we've really been anchored into the fact that our students are the single greatest resource in this community by far, and that we always want to place officers in our schools that can really help and coach and love on them and again, guide them through their educational paths, along with their families at times as well,” Vincent said.
Vincent said school resource officers stay out of disciplinary actions against students.
He said there were six physical arrests of current students in the past year.
“Our policy is to handcuff individuals when we take them into protective custody,” Vincent said. “That's really just for their protection more than anybody else.”
In public comments concerning the resolution, many Norman residents spoke against funding more student resource officers citing the money could be better used for mental health resources and raising costs for school resource officer salaries and equipment upkeep over the years.
This story was edited by Alexia Aston and Taylor Jones.
