Milwaukee Public Schools failed to hire school resource officers despite calling police over 3,000 times last year

The Milwaukee school district failed to hire 25 resource officers by January, as required by law, making it harder for city police to do their jobs.

The Milwaukee Police Association (MPA) revealed law enforcement visited public schools 3,141 times last year – an average of nearly 20 calls per school day.

“[Police are] getting taken out from other parts of the neighborhoods that are having other issues and then getting rerouted to go to all these schools,” explained union president Alexander Ayala. “If we had school resource officers already in place, those school resource officers could be going to these calls instead of pulling from other districts or the districts that have limited staffing.”

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) originally cut ties with the Milwaukee Police Department in 2020, but a 2023 bill known as Act 12 required the district to rehire 25 school resource officers (SROs) by January. 

Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan claimed the district wasn’t being willfully defiant but wouldn’t say when SROs would be brought back.  

“This is something that we hadn’t planned on having to do, but when we were told we’ll have to do it, we will do it. And the board is on track with that as well,” Galvan said. “I don’t have a firm timeline. What I can tell you is that we are working towards that and will continue to meet with the police department on that.” 

However, the school board members themselves seemed less than eager.  

“Moving slowly on this, I think, is an indication of the thoughtfulness that’s going into this, but mostly the resistance that we’re being forced to do this,” MPS board member Marcela Garcia explained. 

“I don’t say that we should not have an SRO program,” added another member Henry Leonard, “although I don’t personally want them in our buildings, if at all possible.” 

SROs have been dropped in some districts as some claim they contribute to disparate outcomes for minority students. But with school violence on the rise, others say all students are safer with SROs. 

Two SROs at Apalachee High School in Georgia are even being lauded as heroes for their part in stopping an active shooter. 

Although four lives were tragically lost, the presence of SROs likely saved many others.  

No wonder then that Milwaukee police are frustrated with district leadership for dragging their feet.  

“If they don’t want police officers at the schools, why are they calling?” asked Ayala. “There’s 3,000 calls at the schools. So obviously, they want us there, they need us there.  

“There’s a need for the students to be safe in the school.”