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Council votes unanimously to place police officer in schools
by Rick DeClue · News · July 21, 2016
Despite mixed reactions on social media from residents regarding putting a police officer in schools, no one spoke against the proposal at Monday’s West Branch City Council meeting.
The council unanimously approved the School Resource Officer agreement with West Branch Community Schools and sharing its estimated cost of approximately $10,000.
School Board President Mike Colbert told the council the board received a detailed presentation of the proposal at its June meeting, before voting in July. School Superintendent Kevin Hatfield and Police Chief Mike Horihan broached the idea in March.
“This is not in response to anything (in particular),” Colbert said.
Citing a good, long-standing relationship with the police department, he said “in the past, we have had officers in classrooms, on average, every other week.”
Part-time Officer Cathy Steen will serve as the SRO for 10-12 hours per week, plus extracurricular activities as requested by the schools.
Steen is a 16-year veteran who teaches criminal law at Kirkwood Community College. She attended a training session earlier this year, partially at her own expense, for certification by the National Association of School Resource Officers.
“She is not a guidance counselor, she is not a teacher, she is a law enforcement officer,” Colbert said.
He added that in today’s world, “not having an SRO is more unusual.”
Horihan said, “the sole intention of the SRO is to help the kids.”
With his department’s focus on community policing, “we recognize that respect isn’t given, it’s earned. We don’t want kids to be afraid of the police.”
With other officers continuing to be in schools for specific issues like anti-bullying, bike and traffic safety, and drug prevention, Horihan believes the approach to community policing “brings great value.”
Council member Tim Shields said he supports the SRO wholeheartedly.
He said that without developing any prior relationship with the police, when a 16-year-old gets pulled over for the first time it can be really stressful – even more than a fine or what his parents might add to it.
Member Mary Beth Stevenson also spoke in favor of the SRO, but asked about how Steen would appear on school grounds.
Horihan said Steen would wear an informal uniform, probably a WBPD polo-style T-shirt and khaki pants. Steen will be armed and wearing a a body camera. The camera will only be used in the event of a fight or other altercation, he said.
Hatfield stressed that the school district, its administrators and teachers remain primarily responsible for administration and discipline.
“We probably average 50 incidents a year, with only a handful that require any kind of police intervention. Of those, there are as many responses for adults as for students,” he said.
He said he is very excited to have the SRO in place, and to have Cathy Steen represent the police department.
Board member Julie Sexton also attended the council meeting.
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