MoCo Council Hearing RE: Removal of Police SROs from Schools

Action Alert!  
Keep Our Schools Safe - Keep Our SROs

The Montgomery County Council holds a public hearing 7:30 pm Thursday February 4th/TOMORROW! on legislation to prohibit police school resource officers (SROs) from serving in County public schools (MCPS).  

This legislation -- bill 46-20 -- was sponsored by Council Members Jawando and Riemer (both At-Large Members) and Council President Hucker (District 5 - Silver Spring area) is a co-sponsor. 

• Call the bill sponsors to voice your OPPOSITION to bill 46-20
  • Tell them SROs are needed to keep our schools, teachers and students safe
  • Jawando --240-777-7811 
    [email protected]
  • Riemer -240-777-7964
    c[email protected]
  • Hucker --240-777-7960
    [email protected]
    
    
• There is a wait list to testify, but still sign up to to testify in opposition (the more opposed sign ups the better) Click Here  
  
  
• If you do not get a chance to testify tomorrow evening, call or email your county council members and URGE them TO VOTE NO on Bill 46-20 when it comes up for a vote
  
  
• Don't know your Council Member, Click Here type in your address in the window that opens
  
  
• Call or email the other two At-Large Council members and voice your opposition to bill 46-20
  • Albornoz --240-777-7959
    [email protected]
  • Glass --240-777-7966
    [email protected]

What is an SRO?  A school resource officer is a sworn uniformed law enforcement officer trained in emergency preparedness, crisis management, community policing concepts, and problem solving who is assigned to work as a liaison to Montgomery County Public Schools.

How many SROs does MoCo have? The County Police currently assign 23 police officers to work as a school resource officer in specific public schools* pursuant to an existing Memorandum of Understanding with the Montgomery County Public Schools. * Which schools, probably where they are needed.  

• MoCo Police were called to County schools 800 times in 2019
• MCPS School Principals believe SROs are beneficial
• Prohibiting SROs in County Schools (according to the the County's Senior Legislative Attorney, Feb. 1 memo on the bill) does NOT save MoCo money, unless, those "SRO positions are eventually abolished through future Council action" and those officers are NOT reassigned to other positions on the police force

Call Now Before the Council Votes
A joint Public Safety/Education and Culture Committee work session
is tentatively scheduled for March 18, 2021 

Watch the Videos Click Here and Click Here