City and high school to consider partnering for school resource officer

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[August 19, 2013]  This week, while the Lincoln City Council is meeting for a Monday night voting session, the Lincoln Community High School board will be meeting at about the same time. On their agendas, the two groups will have one action item in common.

Last week Tuesday at the council's committee of the whole, aldermen heard about a proposed joint venture between the high school and the city to provide a school resource officer.

The position, according to police Chief Ken Greenslate would be a full-time position for an officer to be stationed at the high school.

Aldermen received copies of a contractual agreement between the city and school. Among the details in the agreement was the Mission Statement:

(Copy)

The mission of the SRO program is the reduction and prevention of the school related violence and crime committed by juveniles and young adults. This is accomplished by assigning a Lincoln Police Officer as a SRO to Lincoln Community High School on a permanent basis. The SRO program accomplishes this mission by creating and maintaining, safe, secure, and orderly learning environments for students, teachers and staff. The SRO will establish trusting channels of communication with students, parents and teachers. The SRO will serve as a positive role model to instill in students good moral standards, good judgment, respect for other students and a sincere concern for the school community. The SRO will promote citizen awareness of the law to enable students to become better informed and effective citizens, empowering students with the knowledge of law enforcement efforts and obligation regarding enforcement as well as consequences for violations of the law.

Greenslate told the council that the police presence in the school would be a great step toward protecting the student population from acts of violence. The position will also incorporate opportunities for the assigned officer to speak to classes as well as with students on a one-on-one basis.

At the school, the contract calls for the officer to be provided with a private office with seating space for four people, access to Internet and telephone, and space for files or records.

The officer will be expected to speak about law enforcement-related topics with students in the classroom under the supervision of a certified teacher. This may include discussions on use of narcotics, safety, public relations and occupational training.

The officer would also be the coordinator for any police investigations on campus and would have the authority to take law enforcement action on criminal matters.

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Greenslate said for the city, this would mean hiring another officer. The position calls for the person assigned to be a non-probationary officer, one who has been with the department for more than one year.

The assignment will create a gap in the current police force that will also need to be filled.

Greenslate was asked how the officer would be paid, and he explained that the city and high school would share that payroll expense. On days when there is no school, such as workshops or holiday breaks, the officer would be assigned to the city department if needed to get his full-time hours.

During the summer months when school is not in session, the officer would also be reassigned back to the department. Greenslate said that when appointed, the officer will be instructed to plan vacation days for when school is not in session.

Asked if there was money in the budget for a new hire, Greenslate said that there was.

Marty Neitzel asked if the shared cost between the high school and the city included benefits. Greenslate said that it did not; the city would bear all that cost.

Jonie Tibbs commented, saying she thought they owed it to the community to provide a safer environment for its children. Greenslate agreed, saying, that it is important to have a police presence where the people are, and that the high school is one of the primary places in the city where there are large numbers of people gathered in one place.

Greenslate was also asked if the high school had already approved the contract. Greenslate said they had not, but he believed they would in the near future.

The vote is on both the high school and the city agendas for Monday night.

[By NILA SMITH]

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