HB1481--SCHOOLPROTECTIONOFFICERS
SPONSOR: Dinkins
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
PublicSafetybyavoteof7to0.
Currently,schooldistrictsmaydesignateteachersor
administrators tobeschoolprotectionofficers. Thisbilladds
otherdesignatedschoolpersonneltothelistofemployeesaschool
districtmaydesignateasaschoolprotectionofficer.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthiswillprovideschooldistricts
withmorediscretionforwhattheyareallowedtodoindesignating
peopletobeschoolprotectionofficers. Thisisimportantin
ruralcommunitieswhereyoudonotnecessarilyhavelocallaw
enforcementtorespondtoemergencies. Somesuperintendents feel
theyhavepeopleintheirschoolswhoaremorequalifiedtobe
schoolprotectionofficersthantheteacherstheyhaveonstaff.
Plus,havingteachersbetheprotectionofficersmeanstheyhaveto
makeadecisionwhethertoleavethestudentsorstaywiththem.
Itwouldbegreatforschoolstohavetheleewaytofindthebest
personintheirschooldistricttobedesignatedasschool
protectionofficer. Thereare,asofAugust,42schoolstaff
acrossthestatethataretrainedasschoolprotectionofficers. A
schoolprotectionofficerhastocomplete112hoursofbasic
trainingfortheacademyandthen18hourseverytwoyears.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Dinkins;SusanMyers;
MissouriAssociationofSchoolAdministrators; andAmyRoderick,
MissouriSchoolBoards'AssociationCenterForEducation.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsubmittedtheirtestimonyin
writing.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereErinGray;SusanGibson;Tara
ReuterJohnson;ArnieC.Dienoff.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.