Consider proposed.funding and contract options to meet the requirements of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, to include draft agreement with the Town of Orange Park and the Orange Park Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO) program, to include one full time police officer at each of the three schools in the town boundaries for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The Town of Orange Park has not historically contracted with the Clay County District Schools to provide a School Resource Officer at the three schools within their municipality. While overall positive, this lack of relationship with the school system has limited the connectedness between the local police department and families of students living in the town and attending one of the three schools.

During the school year 2018-2019 the Town of Orange Park Police Department planned and implemented the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (“DARE”) along with District personnel, along with the introduction of a pedestrian safety program at Grove Park Elementary, OrangePark Elementary and Orange Park Junior High School.

The presence of the SRO’s on the three campuses will help to strengthen relationships between the local police department and families in the community. This will also improve relationships between students and their local police department, resulting in higher quality interactions within the neighborhoods, ultimately creating a more cohesive and secure campus environment. There will be a continuation of educational instruction concerning the law and illegal activities with students, as well as a reduction in the number of aggressive and violent conducts referrals overall.

This agreement concerns the safety and students and other that gather on school campuses for community and school related events. In order to continue to offer a safe environment, the partnership with the Orange Park Police Department is necessary.

To approve the agreement between the OPPD and SBCC that is substantially similar to the one attached.