Holmes Middle School, Mount Prospect. (Google Earth image)
The Mount Prospect Village Board approved an updated agreement Tuesday (July 21) that will continue to provide for a school resource officer at Holmes Middle School, though some residents pointed to alleged misconduct from other area SROs as their reason to doubt the program.
The renewed agreement was prompted by Illinois Senate Bill 1519, which became law last August. The law establishes new standards for the documentation of students referred to police and prohibits the use of police citations or discipline for school-related misconduct.
Updates to the Holmes agreement also include a new requirement that SROs undergo training on interactions with students with disabilities.
Before the vote passed, two residents told the board they were concerned about transparency for SROs in light of recent alleged misconduct by area SROs, such as the firearm that was stolen after being left unattended by the SRO at Forest View Educational Center in May.
“We can’t say this is a wonderful program if we’re not doing anything to better monitor the police that are involved with the SRO,” resident Carole Martz said. “… I am hopeful this Illinois IGA agreement, including the steps that they’ve advocated, will enable us to have more information regarding that, and I hope that information will be shared with the village at large.”
Trustee Vincent Dante said that he heard from Holmes staff firsthand how the SRO was able to crack down on bullying of special needs students and “bridge that gap” for exasperated teachers. Other trustees echoed his support for the program.
Martz said that social workers and other assistive programs also deserve credit for curbing behavioral issues, not only SROs.
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