DeKalb Times

During the Feb. 13 DeKalb City Council meeting, the police department and school district presented an update on the ongoing school resource officer agreement. 

“These are some of the most versatile officers you want to see,” Police Chief David Byrd said. “I mean, their day is just a rollercoaster. They're dealing with a child with a runny nose there and now they have a fight in the lunchroom. And then they have to go back and pass out candy. A lot of different things are going on. They’re life coaches. We can never forget that their job is to protect those students, the faculty, from outside threats. And that's what they do every day.”

Byrd added that the life coach aspect of the job is one that is vital, as well. He said they often need to deal with a child who got hurt or needs a Band-Aid. This shows how versatile they need to be.

“I'm so happy for the officers that we do have because we really vetted them,” said Byrd. “And they are the best at this job that we have right now.”

Longtime SRO Chris Sullivan spoke to the council about his experiences. He said that the district has ongoing issues and that it needs additional officers. He said the officers have had a positive impact on students and have developed relationships with them.

The DeKalb school district’s director of Student Services Kyle Gerdes presented data to the council, including incidents marked as aggressive or more than what a teacher can handle. He said there have been a growing number of fights compared to last year, but that this was to be expected with the increased SRO presence and the student code of conduct being implemented for the first time. 

The previous agreement provided for three SROs for the district included one for the high school and one for each middle school. The new agreement started In summer 2022 and is set to run for three years. It provides for five SROs including two for the high school, one for each middle school and one to split between the six elementary schools. The contract includes the district providing the city with 75% of the expenses for each SRO, which includes pay and benefits. It also includes helping with costs of buying vehicles for officers.