A group of Legislative Republicans has proposed a bipartisan bill to fix a recent change in law that is causing the removal of Student Resource Officers (SRO) from public schools. The proposed solution includes a request for the Governor to consider a special session to make necessary changes to the law.

“The school year is about to begin, and due to recently passed legislation, several of our local schools are going to start the year without the help and support of School Resource Officers,” said Senator Michael Kreun (R-Blaine). “The legislation that was passed is ambiguous and unclear and impedes our SROs’ ability to effectively do their job and keep our kids safe. Unfortunately, law enforcement officials were not given an opportunity by the majority to provide feedback and participate in the discussion. We all want to know that our children are safe when at school, and SROs are an integral part of school safety. SRO’s, schools, students, and parents deserve clarity on this issue. I have sponsored legislation that will repeal these changes and ask the Governor to call a special session to pass this bill and get our SROs back in our schools.”

Republicans proposed bill language that simply repeals the recent law change eliminating prone restraints or physical holds and repeals the change to use of force standards to revert back the original language that was in statute. The change does not impact the 2021 bill that banned all neck and chokehold restraints and remains in place for students and all Minnesotans.  

So far, at least six police departments have announced they are removing SROs in the last two weeks, including Spring Lake Park, Dilworth and Hitterdahl, Moorhead, Rockford, Redwood Falls, Andover, and Coon Rapids. In response to the issue, Republicans held a press conference on Wednesday, which included Blaine Police Chief Brian Podany and Centennial Schools Superintendent Jeff Holmberg who shared their concerns about how this change is impacting safety for students and staff as the school year begins.