Elk Grove mayor accuses Dist. 59 leaders of 'dragging their feet' about cops in schools
Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 Superintendent Terri Bresnahan has announced the formation of a task force to explore the possible addition of police officers on school campuses.
But Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson accused her and district officials of "dragging their feet," and he wants cops in schools this fall.
"We need this. It's long overdue. It's a matter of safety," Johnson said.
Johnson's public comments came at the monthly village board meeting Tuesday, the night after Bresnahan's report to the school board. The mayor has been pushing for an officer for months at Grove Junior High School, which has experienced an uptick in calls to police.
District 59 - which has six schools in Elk Grove Village, five in Mount Prospect, three in Des Plaines and one in Arlington Heights - hosted a meeting earlier this month with brass from each town's police and fire departments as well as the Cook County sheriff's department. It was a wide-ranging discussion not only about the proposed school resource officers, Bresnahan said, but also about school security plans, threat assessments and related safety issues.
Four separate task forces have been created to delve into those topics. The working group on school resource officers will include Bresnahan; Katie Ahsell, the assistant superintendent of student services and assessment; the three junior high school principals; two elementary school principals; and representatives of each police department within district boundaries.
Their first meeting will be in the next couple of weeks, Bresnahan said, adding that they will report back to the school board and seek public comment.
But Johnson said District 59 officials will "drag this out too long." He encouraged residents to pressure the seven-member board, of which his son, TR Johnson, is a newly-elected member and also is advocating for school resource officers.
"Let em know you want the resource officer and you want him fast," the elder Johnson said. "Not next year, not after December. You want him starting this fall."
The first day of school in District 59 is Thursday.
Johnson noted Elk Grove officers already are at Elk Grove High School under an arrangement with Northwest Suburban High School District 214, and Mead Junior High School in Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54.
Johnson said his impression is Bresnahan "is not the biggest supporter" of adding cops to schools.
But Bresnahan said she came away from the initial safety committee meeting with a positive view.
"I walked away with a really positive feeling around that general consensus about what the purpose and intent is behind that," she said. "So, I'm looking forward to those further conversations."
TR Johnson said he wants to "build on that momentum" of the first discussion but not "let too much time pass."
Fellow board member Lucas Szczesny agreed, adding, "I don't think we can wait."
But board Vice President Robert Mancilla favored a more cautious approach, saying he has many questions to make sure "we are crystal clear on their roles."
Board President Joseph Sagerer said there are misconceptions about what school resource officers do and don't do. He hopes for a presentation from officers for the public to hear at a board meeting, similar to the one he heard at the committee.