Looking at the Role of School Resource Officers

Austin officials feel school resource officers are still relevant in a time of controversy

Open./// across the country ?

"* conversations about police reform are taking place and the role of officers in public schools.

Minneapolis public schools terminated their relationship with the minneapolis police department... but what about districts in our area?

Tonight the austin city council voted to approve the contracts of school resource officers in austin public schools.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco joins us live what the latest.

Isabella.

I've talked to multiple families in rochester who feel rochester public schools should re?

"* evaluate the role of school resource officers... but in the case of austin... officials feel they are still relevant in a time of controversy.

<<nat: "resolution passes.

7?

*0 your honor."

At the austin city council meeting ?

"* there was no pushback... nat > no debating.

Nat > no conversations about renewing the contracts of two police liaison officers for the upcoming school year.

Councilmember jason baskin is a parent and is completely comfortable with police in school hallways.

"in a larger community, you're just somebody and a face, and maybe somebody that comes into the office for a controversy, whereas now, a lot of the students know the officers.

Our officers know the students."

Baskin says austin's growing diversity and community of approximately 25?

"*thousand people makes it different than larger communities including rochester and minneapolis.

"we're a small enough town that we get to know people and progress really moves at the speed of relationships."

Baskin has two daughters.

He's hopeful they will grow up in a world in which racial differences won't matter.

"we get to know people, progress really moves at the speed of relationships.

I love looking at my kids and they don't really see color."

Austin police chief david mckichan insists ?

"* school resource officers are people students can trust.

"they get to know the administration, they get to know the teachers, they aren't just getting any officer off the street to handle a call, they have their own dedicated officers in this the partnership between austin public schools and the police department has existed for more than 20 years.

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3.

Thanks isabella.

The police liaison officers primarily serve austin high