Reply to Petition to bring back SROs

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I actually don't care if it's SROs or MCPS Security. But someone needs to be in control, hold kids accountable and make sure that threats are neutralized.

If that's done by SROs, fine. If MCPS security gain expanded powers and jurisdiction to do some of the things SROs used to do, great. But the schools must be a safe, secure environment.[/quote]

I agree but it wasn’t safe with SROs and security.[/quote]

A lot safer when we had SROs. Since SROs were removed, the calls for cops have increased dramatically.[/quote]

Exactly how it should work. Success![/quote]

So you didn't want SROs because too many kids were being reported to SROs (cops)  but now that the number of cops being called to the schools for the same reason has increased, it's ok? Hold on while I scratch my head for a few minutes.[/quote]

It’s working because cops are only getting involved in crime at school and they’re not hanging around school harassing kids.[/quote]

Do you realize that when SROs were around, crime was lower than they are now? When SROs were around they actually mitigated issues that otherwise would've resulted in an arrest? Without SROs, more kids are actually getting charged of crime.[/quote]

Actually, when SRO’s were around less criminals were caught. I guess sitting in the school, eating snacks with the teachers was not in effective form of identifying crime outside the school.

So now what you’re saying is you do not want criminals arrested ? You don’t want cops to stop the threat outside the school before it enters?

You are mad because teachers and administrators have formed a relationship with Montgomery County Police and they feel comfortable calling for help.

Sounds like you don’t know what you want.[/quote]

That would be you that's confused. We're talking about crime IN school, babe. Crime IN school has gone up since SROs were removed. [/quote]

No the PP was correct. SROs statistically do little to deter crime in schools and more often than not it's been shown they make matters worse. The right like the head of the NRA is always pushing this as a solution when in fact the only way to get guns out of schools is common sense gun reforms [/quote]

SROs were present at both Parkland and Uvalde and didn't seem to them a lot of good.[/quote]

And, they've been present at other schools and saved lives.

https://www.nasro.org/news/2022/09/01/news-releases/sro-success-story-school-resource-officer-saves-students-from-abusive-grandmother/

https://www.nasro.org/news/2022/04/21/news-releases/sro-success-story-school-resource-officer-saves-student-from-suicide-attempt/

https://www.wkrn.com/video/sro-saves-choking-student/7695111/

https://abcnews.go.com/US/lone-school-resource-officer-engaged-gunman-saved-lives/story?id=53884377[/quote]

In the first story, a car entered the drop off line and two kids got out of the car.  Two patrol cars were already "not far behind."  The SRO did nothing that wasn't already going to happen.
In the second story, the SRO absolutely did something commendable.  But it wasn't a crime or violence that was deterred and any other adult or administrator could have done the same thing.
In the third story, same thing.  Very commendable life saving act not necessarily performed by a trained law enforcement officer
In the fourth story, a gunman shot and killed a student and then the gunman shot himself in the head.  The SRO prevented neither.
[/quote]

Do you work on a school, or have children in a school?

I work in a school. I have children. I want SROs from both a teacher AND a parent standpoint. You are trying to negate the good work SROs do simply to prove some point. The very real truth is SROs have performed FAR more positive services for our schools than get published. I should know, because I’ve seen it.

I can’t understand why a few posters want to deny schools this support. If you haven’t been in a school lately, you really have no idea what we are dealing with. To deny support because “I don’t like them” is to deny students an additional resource at a time in which we are in critical, critical need. Frankly, it’s a selfish viewpoint, and one that does real harm to our students. [/quote]

Yes I have children in school.
I never said "I don't like them" (and those that have not supported SROs have generally given reasons much beyond that.)
One can think that schools need a lot more support and resources without believing that SROs are the right solution to that problem.[/quote]

SROs are ONE solution, and they work remarkably well when you place them with other supports (teachers, admin, counselors, etc.)

Nobody is suggesting they are the ONLY solution. Also, some people (including me) have posted reports and anecdotes that show their positive effects on a school environment.

Again: why would we take away a [b]necessary[/b] support at this critical time? [/quote]

The question is whether they ARE a necessary support, and the evidence is not there.[/quote]

On the contrary: 
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/Resources/Files/SRO/MCPD-SRO-FAQ.pdf
(Contains ACTUAL statistics that demonstrate the effect of MCPD SROs within the district.)

Since MoCo didn’t bother to ask the community whether SROs should stay, the best we can go with is what PGCPS found out when they asked that question: 
https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/pgcps/Board.nsf/files/BX4VD4802E1E/%24file/CEO%27s%20Rec%20School%20Safety%20and%20Security%20Report%2001142021.pdf

80% support SROs at the high school level. 70% support SROs in middle school.
92% who have actually interacted with an SRO report the interaction as “positive.”
70% report that SROs build positive relationships.

The hard facts show that SROs do make a positive impact in this region and that (in places where community was actually asked) the majority supports the program.

[/quote]

PP you are responding to.  The question was whether there is data showing they are "necessary" in MCPS.

1. PG Survey:  This is a survey of sentiment, so not evidence of necessity.  It was also conducted outside of MC over the holidays from 12/21-1/8, the response rate is less than 2% of the population, and nearly half of the respondents were teachers who very understandably want to have as many more adults in the school as they can get, regardless of their role.

2. MC Police-Produced Document:  Can you show me where in this document it proves the positive impact?  The first 7 pages detail the training requirements.  Page 8 describes generally how the SRO is present int he school community.  The final pages state that there were 27 physical arrests, 242 citations in one school year.  How does this support SRO's being a "necessary" thing and effective at preventing and deterring violent and non-violent crime?

And since we are throwing around documents from biased sources, there is this letter that states:  "In MCPS during the 2018-19 school year, Black students received 45% of school-based arrests in MCPS despite representing 22% of the student population, even though data demonstrates that Black students misbehave at the same rates as their peers. Special needs students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) received 25% of arrests in MCPS despite representing 12.2% of the student population.
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/Resources/Files/agenda/col/2021/20210204/testimony/testimony47-MeganBerger.pdf

There is also this presentation that states:

"There is no evidence, in Maryland or elsewhere, that police presence reduces school violence. There is no empirical evidence that police presence will prevent mass shootings from occurring. One study found that an increase in police presence did not decrease any category of school-based offenses. Students’ perception that police treat them unfairly can have a counterproductive effect on student behavior.  School police have made Black students feel less safe because of over-policing and racialized police violence." 
https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/32840/Coalition-Reform-School-Discipline-SRO-Presentation

[/quote]

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