School Resources Officers (H7200A, Article 9)

There were a number of bills introduced this year seeking to improve school security by imposing police-type enforcement measures into the school setting, including one buried within the 2019 budget. The provision, by offering three years worth of funds to school districts to pay the officers' salaries, has made much more likely that most schools in Rhode Island will have an armed police officer in their halls in the near future. Yet, the problems that come with SROs remain unaddressed. The ACLU and other groups advocated for language clarifying the responsibilities and limitations of SROs, but no amendments were included in the approved budget, and the provision passed as it was proposed.