Friends and neighbors,
There is a new crisis unfolding in schools across the state, as several sheriff’s offices have announced they are withdrawing School Resource Officers (SROs) from schools across Minnesota. These sheriff’s offices are making their decisions due to a new law approved by Gov. Walz and Democrats in the legislature this year.
As of this writing, 8 police departments have pulled SROs from schools in their district, leaving those schools and students significantly exposed to potential problems. The schools in question so far are:
- Dillworth and Hitterdahl
- Moorhead
- Rockford
- Redwood Falls
- Andover
- Anoka
- Coon Rapids
- Several in St. Louis County
I expect more announcements will be coming in the near future.
WHAT IS THE NEW LAW
The new law in question prohibits SROs from putting students in holds that restrain the head, neck, and torso, or from putting students in a prone position. The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) has said that the new law will prevent SROs from using techniques to de-escalate dangerous situations, disarm students, and keep students safe – essentially, they will not be able to do their jobs.
This is the latest example of the Democrats’ reckless governance. Democrats rushed this bill through the process, skipping over a critical committee that handles judiciary and public safety issues. Republicans on the education committee voiced concerns about the issue and recommended bill authors work through this language with School Resource Officers. Either that did not happen or SRO concerns were not taken seriously.
WHAT DO LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUPS SAY
In a letter to membership, MPPOA’s executive director and general counsel wrote:
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, along with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police and Minnesota Sheriffs’ Associations, are greatly concerned by the uncertainty of the language, the application of the amended law, and the increased liability, both civilly and criminally, that may occur. The unintended consequences of this new law limit the lawful authority of SRO’s to keep children safe at school and those contracted with school districts to provide safety to the students, players and staff. SRO’s are counted on to support students and staff safety, and must have a clear understanding and meaningful procedures and training in place before the implementation of any law.
REPUBLICANS OFFER SOLUTION
Because of the Democrats’ carelessness, we will now need legislation to address these issues so we can get SROs back in these schools.
On Wednesday, August 30, Senate and House Republicans unveiled a simple solution: repeal the recent law change eliminating prone restraints or physical holds and the change to use of force standards. In other words, let’s revert back to the original language that was working so well. The change would not impact the 2021 bill that banned all neck and chokehold restraints and remains in place for students and all Minnesotans.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
God Bless,