Metro Detroit school districts receive grants to hire school resource officers

MACOMB COUNTY — Several local school districts are receiving grants from the state to assist in the hiring of more school resource officers.

On Jan. 17, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that 195 school districts and public school academies would receive almost $25 million in grants to hire school resource officers — often referred to as “SROs” — over the next three years.

“Every parent wants their kids to be safe at school,” Whitmer said in a press release. “These grants will help us hire almost 200 more school resource officers so we can make sure our children, (teachers) and staff are safe at school.”

A panel made up of representatives from education and law enforcement determined which schools and districts would receive the grant. They prioritized ones without an SRO currently in place, as well as schools from communities with lower student enrollment and less total per-pupil funding, according to the press release from the Governor’s Office.

The funds are administered by the Michigan State Police Grants and Community Services Division and are able to be used for salaries, benefits and training for SROs. A 50% match is required to be provided by the district.

An SRO is a law enforcement officer responsible for keeping students safe at school. Joe Haynes, superintendent of Center Line Public Schools, said an SRO plays an important role in the district’s day-to-day interactions with students, parents, staff and the community.

“I expect them to be a key member of our support and instructional team meeting the needs of students,” Haynes said in an email. “Those needs can range from helping to promote a positive school climate; fostering positive relationships among law enforcement, educators and students/families; and working with our staff to prevent/respond to actions that distract from our goal of educating students.”

The Center Line Public Schools district does not currently have an SRO, Haynes said. However, the position has been posted and interviews are expected to begin soon.

“My hope would be to get our SRO officer in our schools as soon as possible,” Haynes said.

Center Line Public Schools was awarded $200,000. Other local districts that received grants include:

• Van Dyke Public Schools in Warren, which received $112,500.

• Eastpointe Community Schools, which received $186,074.

• L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, which received $82,414.

The grants come several months after Whitmer signed an education budget sending $210 million to improve the safety of schools, with an additional $250 million to respond to student mental health needs.

For a full list of schools that were awarded grants for SROs, visit michigan.gov/msp/divisions/grantscommunityservices/school-safety.