The City of Billings and the Billings Public Schools have enjoyed a 24 year history with the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program.  The attached Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) make provisions for program objectives, guidelines, financial consideration and for terminating the agreements. The MOUs are for the period of July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. The SRO Program is a collaborative effort by certified law enforcement officers, educators, students, parents, and the community, to offer a liaison program in the schools to reduce crime, drug abuse, violence, and provide a safe school environment. The Program also provides networking, public relations, and relationship building among the City, Police Department, the School District and the community. The City Council is being asked to approve an MOU with Billings Catholic Schools (BCS) and Billings School District 2 (BSD2) for a shared SRO for BCS and for the BSD2 Career Center and a second MOU with BSD2 for the four (4) Middle Schools and three (3) High Schools in the total amount of $357,976.

Council may:

• Approve the MOUs for the SRO Program; or
• Not approve the MOUs for the SRO Program. The effect would be that the City would have to supply the $357,976 that the Billings Public Schools contributes to the program or modify/eliminate the program.

The approximate total cost for the SRO positions is $613,752. The Billings Public Schools will make a payment of $357,976 to help defray some of the salary and benefit costs for the eight officers.   

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the SRO Program Memoranda of Understanding with Billings Public Schools and Billings Catholic Schools.