Delaware bill would provide for more school resource officers statewide
DOVER, Del. – Delaware could soon see more school resource officers across the state if one new bill becomes law.
The revitalized legislation, House Bill 32, would establish school officer units to fund school resource officers (SROs) or constables in all of Delaware’s public schools.
As it stands right now, there are some schools in Delaware that do not have SROs on site. This is something the bill’s primary sponsor, State Representative Bryan Shupe, says must change. He tells us not only will this increase safety, but it will also build relationships between students and law enforcement.
“Not only does it create a safe place for emergencies that come up, but also it’s an environment for kids to connect with first responders like law enforcement on a positive level,” Rep. Shupe explained. “We have seen in Milford that those relationships between kids and the SROs, or the constables, really helps those kids build faith in the law enforcement community.”
The bill would also provide additional SROs for schools that have over a thousand students. At the very least, it would provide for one SRO or constable in every school in each school district or charter school statewide, regardless of enrollment.
The legislation actually breaks things down to fund the SROs or constables the same way the state funds teachers.
“They are funded just as a teacher is, it’s a unit-count,” Rep. Shupe said. “Each school will get one unit-count, so that each school throughout the State of Delaware can have either an SRO, or a constable, whichever one that they see would fit their community best.”
Rep. Shupe says the bill is something many parents have been calling for in an effort to increase safety in Delaware’s schools.
“It really gets at the heart of what most parents have told me, within my district and throughout the State of Delaware, that they want their schools to be safe,” Rep. Shupe emphasized. “They want the kids to go to school and make sure that they have a safe place to learn.”
The legislation currently awaits consideration in the House Education Committee.
