MPS Brings Back School Resource Officers

Milwaukee Public Schools recently began reintroducing school resource officers in early 2025 following a court order enforcing a 2023 shared revenue law that required MPS to station 25 school resource officers, or SROs, in its schools during school hours starting Jan. 1, 2024.

The History and Evolution of School Resource Officers

School resource officer programs date back to the mid-20th century, including early efforts in Flint, Michigan, and were created to improve police-youth relationships. SROs acted as teachers and counselors, educating students about traffic, safety, and laws. In the 1990s, a rise in juvenile crime led to an increase in the number of SROs in schools. With the passage of the 1994 crime bill, federal funding and incentives made it easier to hire additional officers.

SRO Perspective on Their Role

Isah Furr, a senior writer and editor at Bay View High School, interviewed Police Officer Bell, a school resource officer at the school, who offered his perspective.

“We are here not to enforce but to protect … We’re a more enhanced version of safety.”

“We interact with students by bridging gaps in the community through positive interactions … We build relationships by relating to the students, showing that I am also from this community.”

Student Perspectives: Life in the Hallways

While the debate over funding and mandates continues in the courts, the daily reality for students involves navigating these new interactions with law enforcement. For some, the return of SROs has fostered a sense of mentorship rather than surveillance.

Christopher Zahn, a 12th-grade student, said his interactions with officers have been grounded in personal accountability and casual engagement. “They’ve been honest, kept me in class, and we usually play chess,” Zahn said.

When it comes to the climate of the school, Zahn said the presence of SROs provides a sense of accessible security. When asked how comfortable he would feel approaching an officer with a concern or reporting an incident, he described the process as “pretty easy and comfortable, only have to say a word.” For Zahn, the value lies in the officers’ focus on safety. “They take things more seriously when it comes to keeping the school safe.”

The 2020 Removal of SROs

In the years leading up to 2020, MPS had already begun reducing the presence of police in schools, including ending its contract with the Milwaukee Police Department in 2016. In May 2020, the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a police officer restrained him during an arrest led to nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of policing in schools. Following this, MPS fully ended the use of school resource officers, citing concerns about disproportionate discipline and the impact on students of color.

AIR Institute Fellow David Osher said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, “The results of our research, and related research on suspensions and the science of learning and development, suggest these practices may be harming students’ long-term educational success and do not have a positive effect on the school community.” This reflects ongoing concerns about safety and persistent racial disparities in discipline.

Court Mandate Forces Reinstatement

In October 2024, a parent filed a lawsuit against MPS demanding the return of SROs as required by Act 12. As the 2025 deadline approached, the city and school district disagreed over who would cover the program’s estimated $2 million annual cost.

According to a February 2025 report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, MPS officials initially pushed back on the costs. The report noted that MPS board member Missy Zombor said the district offered to pay 33% of the costs, arguing that while the city received more than $200 million in shared revenue through Act 12, “MPS was not a recipient of that money.”

However, the courts took a firm stance, ultimately ordering the city and MPS to split the cost of the program evenly. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Borowski emphasized that the district was required to comply with state law mandating the presence of 25 officers.

Training Requirements and Reinstatement

A major hurdle in returning officers to schools was a state requirement for specialized training. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that under Act 12, all SROs must complete a 40-hour course through the National Association of School Resource Officers.

Mo Canady, executive director of the association, said the training is vital because SRO work is “the most unique assignment in law enforcement.” He added, “We are never going to recommend that an officer start working in a school without first being put through this training.”

After being threatened with contempt of court and daily fines for delays in compliance, the city and MPS reached an agreement. In early 2025, officers began returning to MPS schools, though implementation continued to develop as training and staffing requirements were met. While some parents support the return for safety reasons, others continue to express concerns about the impact on students of color and those with disabilities.