Bartlett approves resource officer agreement with U-46

Almost a year after school districts across the country were reconsidering their relationships with police departments, Bartlett's village board on Tuesday approved a resolution with the Elgin Area School District U-46 providing for a school resource officer at both Bartlett High School and Eastview Middle School for the upcoming school year.

There was no debate or discussion on the topic at Tuesday's board meeting.

Last August, some U-46 school board members emphasized cultural competency when dealing with minority students and students with special needs.

U-46 board members Melissa Owens and Kate Thommes requested that future resource officer contracts require additional training.

The resolution now contains new language that village officials said better reflects current practices.

The district will require two annual trainings. One focuses on crisis prevention and nonviolent crisis intervention. The other focuses on awareness for students with special needs, specifically children with autism.

The responsibilities of school resource officers will now include participation in student-led violence programs, such as the "Start with Hello" initiative to prevent bullying and build relationships, as well as the "Say Something" campaign, aimed at violence prevention.

Additionally, school resource officers will be the point of contact for "Run, Hide, Fight" safety drills, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FBI recommend to prepare for a shooting.

The coordinator of school safety will now be a recipient of the school resource officer's monthly crime report.

If a body camera is used, it will be considered a student record. As such, footage will be entered by a school administrator into the district's student information system. Each school's principal will make note of the existence of any footage and advise in the event of a Freedom of Information Act request.

The current salary of a police officer remains just over $71,800.

Bryan Mraz, the village's attorney, did not have any concerns about the proposed changes.

The services of the school resource officer will begin Aug. 9 and end June 10, 2022.