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1. Additional School Resource OfficerDepartment REPORT: FROM: SUBJECT: Honorable Mayor and City Council Frank Garner, Chief of Police School Resource Officer Program Expansion MEETING DATE: August 14, 2000 BACKGROUND: In 1999 the Kalispell Police Department began a School Resource Officer Program with the help of a $125,000.00 grant provided by the United States Department of Justice "COPS" office. The grant nearly fully funds the project for three years. The program provides one police officer that splits his time between Flathead High School and Kalispell Junior High. At the time we began the program with the school district we had an understanding that for the program to continue beyond the grant the school district would be required to fund three-quarters of the officer's salary at the end of the grant period. The other quarter of the officer's salary would be covered by the city. The obvious benefits to the school include having a trained police officer dedicated to servicing the schools and the city has benefited by having resources dedicated to the schools funded by the district. The community has benefited directly from the quality of the program. School Resource Officer Wade Rademacher will address the council during the workshop to better explain the program. This year the Police Advisory Council (PAC) explored the effectiveness of the School Resource Officer Program (the PAC is a group of community members that works with the Kalispell Police Department to improve communication between the department and the community). During that exploration the PAC performed surveys of citizens, school officials and students. The program received very high recommendations. PAC members are available to address the council on their findings. In addition, the PAC determined the program is likely understaffed. The PAC recommended the department increase the School Resource Officer Program to include one full-time officer at the High School and one full-time officer at the Junior High. The PAC also learned there was great interest from the school district in providing an additional officer. The school district indicated it would assist in funding the program under the assumption the department could apply for and would be eligible for an additional grant. Frank Garner, Chief of Police - Jim Brown, Asst. Chief of Police - KPD phone (406) 758-7780, FAX (406) 758-7799 li :'� ` 300 1st Ave. East, Kalispell, MT 59901 �.►� The school district and the city should discuss what their respective positions would be on the expansion of the program if a grant were not obtained. The "COPS" office has frozen all new grant applications until this fall when Congress will determine if the program will continue past its initial six -year funding cycle. It is possible that no grant funding will be available. The parties need to discuss if they will be willing to assume the salary costs sans grant funding. The purpose of this workshop is to insure all parties understand the nature of the program and the funding requirements. This will be necessary for the school district and the city to make an intelligent decision on this project. RECOMMENDATIONS: The City Council must decide if the expansion of the School Resource Officer Program should be funded. FISCAL EFFECTS The addition of one officer would result in approximately $15,000.00 (fifteen thousand dollars) additional in annual salary costs without any grant consideration. ALTERNATIVES: As recommended by Council. Respectfully submitted, Frank Garner Chief of Police oo- Chris Kukulski City Manager