City Council Meeting Date: December 3, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Jeff Schroepfer, Chief of Police
Title
Consider approval of a new three-year School Resource Officer agreement between the City of Northfield and Independent School District No. 659.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider at Motion approving the attached Police-School Resource Officer agreement between Independent School District No. 659 and the City of Northfield and authorizing the Mayor, and City Clerk to execute the agreement.
Summary Report:
The Council is asked to approve the agreement between Independent School District No. 659 (School District) and the City of Northfield for the City to provide a licensed police officer to perform the duties of a Police School Resource Officer (SRO) as described in the agreement.
This agreement is crucial to the partnership between the City of Northfield and the Northfield School District. The SRO has been the center of this long-standing relationship that benefits the City, the School District, and more importantly the students and families of our community.
The agreement has a duration of three years, January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027. Payment by the School District to the City for the SRO is a sum of $72,192 for the calendar year of 2025, $77,245 for 2026, and $82,653 for 2027, with two equal payments on or before June 1 and December 1, respectively, of each year. The initial payment being made on June 1, 2025, and the final payment on December 1, 2027.
The annual payments are based on fifty percent, mid-range officer, of the total wage and benefit expenses for the SRO. The reimbursement amount from the School District to the City has been updated to reflect current and anticipated increases to the total wage and benefits expenses for this position.
Generally, the SRO will spend a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of his/her annual hours worked (1040) in or at School District schools and functions during the school calendar year. When school is not in session, the SRO will function as, and perform the duties of, an officer for Northfield Police Department under the supervision of the Chief of Police or their designee.
The SRO facilitates and teaches the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education (DARE) program, acts as an immediate resource for school staff and administration on questions of law, community resources for addressing youth needs, facilitates social service delivery, and ensures safety of all students and staff on school properties. A large part of the role of the SRO is being present where the youth of our community are at, providing the opportunity for building trusting and lasting relationships.
This contract is essentially a continuation of the previous 3-year agreement signed in December 2018. The Northfield City Attorney has reviewed and approved the agreement, and the agreement was approved by the School District on November 25, 2024. City staff recommends approval of this agreement.
Alternative Options:
The alternative to this option is to not provide a Police School Resource Officer in the School District. Staff does not recommend this course of action as it is detrimental to both organizations and more importantly to the families and students of Northfield.
Financial Impacts:
With this agreement in place, the City will receive $72,192 for the calendar year of 2025, $77,245 for 2026, and $82,653 for 2027 as a 50% reimbursement for costs associated for one police officer assigned as the SRO; this is a significant impact on the Police/City Budget. However, more important are the non-financial impacts of this agreement and cooperative work between the Northfield School District and the City of Northfield in serving the youth and the families of the Northfield Schools.
Tentative Timelines:
After approval by both governing bodies, the agreement will be effective January 1, 2025.