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Orange County funding dispute threatens School Resource Officers

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Published  December 6, 2024 11:29pm EST
Orange County
FOX 35 Orlando

Orange County funding dispute threatens SROs

A funding battle is brewing, and it could impact students in Orange County. Orange County Public Schools and five law enforcement agencies can’t agree on a contract for school resource officers, which could mean losing them entirely.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A funding battle is brewing, and it could impact students in Orange County.  

Orange County Public Schools and five law enforcement agencies can’t agree on a contract for school resource officers, which could mean losing them entirely.  

"We're outraged because this is the lives of our students that it's important. It's scary sending your kids to school in this day and age. I mean, you get report after report of this school shooting, kids bringing guns to school, and it's scary," said Lauren Hoffman, a Winter Garden parent.  

It gives Lauren Hoffman peace of mind when she sees the school resource officer at her children’s Winter Garden school every day. But now she’s worried the school is going to lose its SRO because of the funding feud between the district and the police department.  

Five law enforcement agencies have rejected the district’s 3-year school resource officer proposal, including Apopka, Winter Park, Ocoee, Winter Garden, and Windermere.  

OCPS is proposing a $72,000 reimbursement for an SRO in the 2024-2025 school year, a 20% increase from the previous school year, followed by an additional 2% increase for the next two school years. The district says this 20% increase far exceeds any salary increases offered to OCPS staff. Teachers got a historic raise last year of 9%.  

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The Apopka Police Department said the average cost of an SRO, including salary, benefits, vehicles, and equipment, is more than $123,000. The department said it doesn’t want to remove SROs but would like to sign a one-year contract to reevaluate the costs each year instead of committing to the three-year contract.  

The Town of Windermere added a statement:  "The primary point of contention is the 1.5% raise offered by OCPS for the second year of the contract. Given substantial cost increases experienced by law enforcement agencies, this increase is insufficient."  

For comparison, according to OPD’s website, candidates with two or more years of law enforcement experience start at a base salary of nearly $69,000.  

Parents are hoping the district and law enforcement can work it out for the sake of their kids.  

"Budgets are hard and money is hard, and there's never enough money. Teachers are underpaid. Police officers are underpaid," said Hoffman. "I don't have the right answer for either group, but I would just encourage them to come together. Don't just have this be a stalemate. It's the students. It's the faculty. It's the staff."  

If OCPS and the five departments cannot reach an agreement by January, the district says it will move forward with the school guardian program instead. Guardians are armed school employees who have completed training provided by the sheriff’s office. However, the district says guardians meet basic security requirements but lack the specialized training of SROs.  

This would impact 30 schools in Orange County. The School Board will meet next Tuesday for a workshop to discuss this issue.  

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