Chief winces at SRO cutbacks
Spokane police Chief Roger Bragdon understands Mayor Jim West’s budget problems, but said it’s difficult not to take it personally when the city cut the School Resource Officer program.
The program was Bragdon’s idea and he said if he gets enough money in the future, it will be the first thing he restores.
The six officers and a sergeant were based in middle schools, but they also visited high schools and elementary schools. They worked with school officials, students and residents to eliminate problems before they became crimes.
“They stopped a lot of weapons and drugs from coming into the schools. They hear about it in the neighborhood and were able to meet them at the door,” Bragdon said. “They interdicted many, many problems.”
Those SRO officers, who work on bicycle patrol during the summer, will be put back on patrol to help the department respond to emergencies, Bragdon said.
West announced the SRO cut Monday night as part of mid-year budget cuts. In all, 28 positions are being cut from the budget, of which 10 were already vacant. Cutting the SRO program is expected to save the city $338,000.
“I admire the mayor for the stand he’s taking on the budget. He’s taking responsibility,” Bragdon said. “I try not to take this personal. I have to provide the best protection for the public for the least amount of money.”
Spokane Public Schools are also discussing ways to handle the cuts.
“It’s a resource we will sorely miss,” said Joe Madsen, director of safety and risk management for Spokane Public Schools.
Madsen discovered the SRO program was threatened several weeks ago during regular meetings with the Spokane Police Department.
Now the school district will be forced to respond to problems instead of having officers on hand to prevent them, Madsen said. Parents will possibly notice a difference at the middle schools due to the cuts.
“They will not see the patrol car and the Police Resource Officer at the school,” Madsen said.
Should a major incident happen at a middle school, like a serious assault or a student with a gun on campus, Madsen said, he’s confident Spokane Police will respond quickly.
But it won’t quite be the same.
“The bottom line is we don’t have armed police officers in our middle schools. The response will be delayed,” Madsen said. “Do we have a history of needing (armed officers)? No. Do we want to be prepared? Yes. Could it possibly impact us in regards to response? Yes. Do I have full faith in the Spokane Police Department being Johnny-on-the-spot if we need them? You bet.”
Spokane Public Schools does have 11 unarmed District Resource Officers.
One is located at each of the six high schools.
The other officers are housed in middle schools and respond to the elementary schools.
While it’s not a topic being discussed at the moment, high schools may need to consider sharing their District Resource Officers with other schools, Madsen said.
The SRO program got its start in 2000. But city officials pulled the eight officers out of the hallways in 2002 to deal with budget problems.
Bragdon said both the police department and school district applied for grants and they were both successful.
Federal grants provided $750,000 that allowed officials to restart the program in January 2003. But much of that grant money will remain unused because the city does not have the funds to match it, Bragdon said.
“It was extremely efficient in problem solving between the neighborhood and the school, and the school and the neighborhood,” he said.
He said he will work with the superintendent next week to work out how to deal with growing gang, methamphetamine and prescription drug problems.
“We’ll come up with things, but they won’t be as effective,” he said. Bragdon is disappointed “not just because it was my pet project, but because it was so successful. The day there is sufficient funding, that’s the first program I bring back.”