Safety or politics: Debate grows over Jeffco school resource officers

By: Spencer Kristensen, Brooke Williams | FOX31 Denver

DENVER (KDVR) — On Wednesday morning, Jeffco Public Schools and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office released a joint statement addressing the community’s questions about the School Resource Officer program.

“Our commitment to safety and security in Jeffco schools is unwavering,” Superintendent Tracy Dorland said in a press release. “Jeffco Public Schools does not employ SROs. Instead, through intergovernmental agreements, our local law enforcement partners, like JCSO, provide SROs to serve in our schools and our district now pays for half of this cost. We are proud of our strong partnership with law enforcement, including our shared commitment to a robust SRO program that supports our students and staff.”

The school district and sheriff’s office explained how the staffing of SROs works in Jefferson County.

With their partnership with the Intergovernmental Agreement, 14 Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers are assigned to 12 middle schools and high schools, which includes Evergreen High School, “as staffing allows.”

Officers will be designated to schools, including:

• Chatfield Senior High School
• Columbine High School
• Conifer High School
• D’Evelyn Jr/Sr High School
• Dakota Ridge High School
• Deer Creek Middle School
• Drake Middle School
• Evergreen High School
• Falcon Bluffs Middle School
• Ken Caryl Middle School
• Manning K-8
• Summit Ridge Middle School

The joint statement comes after concerns were raised about why an officer was not on school grounds at the time of the shooting at Evergreen High School last week. During an Evergreen Parent-Teachers-Students Association meeting less than 24 hours before the shooting, parents raised questions about why their school did not have a full-time school resource officer.

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