Marysville is getting several new police officers and it has an agreement with the school district to thank.
The Marysville finance committee recently approved the hiring of three new patrol officers for the division of police. At the meeting this week, Finance Director Justin Nahvi explained the city had recently entered into an agreement with Marysville Exempted Village School District. The school district will increase its financial commitment to the police department from about $38,000 per year to more than $200,000 per year.
In the past, the Marysville Division of Police has provided three school resource officers (SRO) for the district. With the increased funding, a fourth SRO will be assigned. Sergeant Don McGlenn oversees SRO division as part of the Community Services Bureau.
“The best part of the school resource officer program is that we get to be in the schools and build relationships with these kids at a young age,” McGlenn said. “They get to see the officers as someone there to help, not someone who just shows up in a bad situation.”
McGlenn explained the resource officers are assigned to a specific building, but they also rotate to participate in events and programs, as well as make appearances at other buildings as well. He said that while an officer may be assigned to Bunsold Middle School, they could also participate in a reward program at an elementary school where a classroom gets to have pizza with the police.
“It is not like other roles in the police department,” he said.
McGlenn said that in addition to having a positive presence, the SRO gets to know students in a way that a traditional patrol officer does not.
“A lot of times, the problems these kids are dealing with are not a quick fix,” McGlenn said. “When a patrol officer arrives at a scene, they have maybe 15 minutes to figure out what’s going on and find a solution. When you are an SRO, you are going in there every day. You are basically assimilating into their world. It gives you the time to know these kids and to work with them and help them solve their issues.”
He said law enforcement officials can also direct students and parents to community resources that may be available.
He said that resource officers take ownership of the building and the staff, students and parents they serve. McGlenn said that if an incident with a child occurs in the evening, the SRO is contacted.
“Just because the school day is over and you go home, doesn’t mean that you stop thinking about those kids,” McGlenn said.
McGlenn said that when school is not in session, resource officers continue to work as community liaisons. He said the Community Services Bureau offers programs like Safety Town and radKIDS, a personal empowerment program for children. He said the officers provide corporate safety training and staff community events.
“We try to help out with patrol as well, obviously,” McGlenn said.
He said that because SROs want to be available when school is open, they will often save vacation time through the year and use during the summer.
Nahvi said that for the 2018-2019 school year, the district gave the city about $38,000 to cover the SRO services.
“We kind of realized that we were investing a lot in the schools,” Nahvi said.
Additionally, school and police officials had expressed a need for another SRO.
Earlier this year, City Manager Terry Emery began discussions with the district in hopes of getting a greater contribution.
The district agreed to pay 50% of the salary and benefits of four SRO’s for 10 months each year.
Nahvi said that while the district’s commitment does not cover all the costs associated with the SRO program, he called it “a sizable contribution.”
For the 2019-2020 school year, that amounts to $200,446. Nahvi said the agreement accounts for a cost of living increase and an anticipated medical insurance increase, meaning that for 2020-2021, the district will pay $207,800.
Marysville Human Resources Director Brian Dostanko said the additional money from the district will allow the city to hire an additional two patrol officers as well as the fourth SRO.
Dostanko said the fourth SRO will come from the existing police force. He said a candidate has already been identified and is in training.
Nahvi explained that Emery has the authority to enter into the agreement without council approval. He also said he is drafting an ordinance to recognize the agreement and approve spending the money for the officers. He said council will hear a first reading at its meeting Monday.
Dostanko said Police Chief Floyd Golden has requested additional officers “for several years.”
He said that SROs are considered patrol officers with a specific assignment. He said they qualified and trained to be patrol officers and receive additional training for the SRO assignment. Dostanko said the additional positions bring the police department to 49 employees, 28 of which are patrol officers.
“We did a study several years ago and even with the additional positions, we are probably four or five officers below other communities our size,” Dostanko said. “We do a lot more with less than many other comparable cities and we are prudent about adding new employees.”
He said that as the city grows, it will need to add employees.