Safe Silver Spring Urges Members to Join Fight to Save School Safety Program

Safe Silver Spring, a community advocacy group, urged members to join a county-wide effort to restore police presence in county high schools and prevent county officials from eliminating the school safety program altogether.  If the program does not receive funding in the 2012 budget, Silver Spring could lose two designated officers who routinely patrol area high schools.

In an email sent to members, including civic associations representing 8,000 households, Safe Silver Spring Chair, Tony Hausner, asked members to sign on to a letter sent to county leaders supporting the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. The letter represented Community Partners for Public Safety (CPPS), a coalition formed last fall with support from the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teachers Associations (MCCPTA). 

“It is important to make sure the School Resource Officer program is maintained.  Officers play a very important role in maintaining peace and ensuring there isn’t any violence in school.  They prevent other kinds of crimes – theft and drug use.  They deal with gangs. Certainly there’s a gang presence in high schools and middle schools,” Hausner said.

The program, which is implemented nationally but funded locally, aims to place law enforcement officers in schools. There are currently nine police officers assigned to Montgomery County’s 25 high schools. Each of the county’s six police districts has one designated officer, and Silver Spring and Wheaton receive additional officers because of higher crime activity. 

“No decisions have been made about the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. However, the County Executive proposed in his mid-year savings plan last fall a reduction of the nine positions -- one more hard choice made amidst budget shortfalls. The Council punted on that choice, instead asking the Police department, already reduced, to find the amount elsewhere. In order to prioritize front-line services, the cut may be in reductions to be announced on March 15 in order to help close a $300 million shortfall, but no decision has been made,” said county spokesman Patrick Lacefield.

The annual cost of one SRO officer is $116,675, according to county police. This includes salary, retirement and health benefits and staff to support the position.

Montgomery County police declined to comment on whether or not they supported the reduction or elimination of the program.  “We are unable to comment on budget items until the County Executive finalizes and presents his budget,” police spokesman Capt. Paul Starks said.

CPPS now has over 21 groups county-wide supporting their cause, and the list is growing. 

“MCCPTA’s mission is to show the County Council, the County Executive and other county leaders that saving the SRO program goes beyond the PTA. We’re reaching out to various organizations and community groups in the county.  So many people are unaware that the SRO program is slated to be eliminated July 1, 2011,” said Susan Burkinshaw, Co-chair, Community Partners for Public Safety and Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teachers Associations member.

The CPPS letter urges county leaders to maintain the SRO program and restore police personnel to its 2009 levels – one officer per high school.