After over a year of back-and-forth between Milwaukee Public Schools and the City of Milwaukee, the district Thursday approved funding for the re-implementation of school resource officers.
“This evening, during a Special Meeting of the Board, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors took action to authorize the funding necessary to comply with the February 20th, 2025 court order issued with respect to WI Statute 62.90(8) regarding SROs,” the board of school directors said in a press release after their special meeting. “The motion passed unanimously. MPS anticipates the arrival of School Resource Officers before the February 27th deadline as ordered by the court.”
Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan confirmed after the unanimous 9-0 vote by the board that MPS was prepared to spend $795,979 dollars for the SROs. This comes after Milwaukee County Judge David Borowski on Monday ordered the district and the city to split the cost 50-50 by the 27th in response to a lawsuit brought against the district by a parent over the matter last year. Had either side not reached an agreement by that date, Judge Borowski said he would order “sanctions, contempt of court and the allocation of all actual costs to the plaintiff’s attorney and to the plaintiff.”
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As previously reported, the National Association of School Resource Officers told WTMJ no Milwaukee Police Officers had enrolled in their 40-hour training program since August of 2023.
The back-and-forth over SROs dates back to January 1st, 2024, when the City of Milwaukee first implemented a 2% sales tax as part of Act 12. One of the provisions of that tax was that MPS would “ensure that not fewer than 25 school resource officers are present at schools within the school district during normal school hours and that school resource officers are available during before-school and after-school care, extracurricular activities, and sporting events as needed.” But instead, the district and city engaged in debate over who should pay for the officers.
“The city continues to act in good faith, and it is our hope we can resolve any differences through the mutually agreed upon process.” said Jeff Fleming, spokesperson for Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Monday ahead of the Judge Borowski order.
Galvan said the proposal now heads to the office of Milwaukee City Attorney Evan Goyke. WTMJ has reached out to Goyke for comment.
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