Schools face shortage of resource officers

Why is LMPD putting officers in the schools in the first place? JCPS has its own sworn, certified, qualified police force, why not just add to that force and put their OWN officers in the schools? I know several retired LMPD already work for that force, and with all the new flock of retirements, surely there will be officers who want to go over to JCPS. If LMPD is so critically short, I do not comprehend why they are pulling resources off the street and putting them in the schools?

How much does JCPS pay for this service? Even so, it doesn't really matter, you don't give away scarce resources.

And is it JCPS won't let their own officers carry guns, yet they allow sworn LMPD officers to carry guns in the schools?

I nominate our entire future ex-Command Staff for the job, starting the first day of Mayor Downard's administration.

Maybe why LMPD is putting its own manpower in JCPS is some of the retired staff from the front office of previous administrations are working in the admin of JCPS.

As for letting officers with one year on apply for the possition. Hell, these officers don't even know the street yet they are going to be patrolling the halls of a school. Inexperience will do nothing but get someone in trouble. Lets see, a year experience on the dept, 6 months in training and 6 6 months on the street. They don't even know how to take care of themselves at this time.

And is JCPS or grant money paying the WHOLE FREIGHT for these officers? Not just salary, but benefits, value of the car, etc. And if a rookie takes the position, will they get a car?

Lets get your facts straight before you all start crying more. There are 23 SRO's in the school district. 13 are LMPD, the rest are JCSO, and one St. Matthews. YOUR front office applied for a grant to put the officers in the schools, NOT the retired administation at JCPS. Under the grant, extra officers were hired to fill the slots that the new SRO's had in the district. Under the grant, LMPD must keep these officers in the school or they will have to pay back the grant. The grant pays the officers salery, not LMPD. This year there were five openings in the SRO program and five officers applied. One of the officers is a lateral transfer from another department. He was an SRO there also. Because he only had one year on LMPD, he did not qualify. When NO ONE ELSE wanted the slot, it was opened up to officers who have one year on LMPD. So, before you make statements about a one year officer, you might want to find out more, chances are, he's been an officer longer than you and you just may be the rookie not him. Beside, if no one else wants the slot, then why are you complaning about some one else getting it. Yes, we are short in the district, and yes, we do need more officers. I'm getting tired like everyone else about not being able to get a day off, no back-up etc. But why should you all rag on a program you don't know anything about and a guy you don't know?

Does anyone but me find it bizarre that JCPS does not allow their own, fully qualified, officers to carry guns, but expects them to "clear buildings" on their own for alarms with no assistance from LMPD? And given the problem with false alarms, they aren't going to call for help and get charged.

Even if they are two thugs killing each other, what about all of the bullets flying - hiting innocents nearby? I'm supposed to feel better because the perp and the vic know each other, when in their shooting, they kill my mother walking her dog nearby? Most murders are "personal" - in that the two parties know each othe.