A new bill filed in the Alabama Senate would allow local law enforcement to contract with non-public schools to supply police as School Resource Officers (SROs).
State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) pre-filed Senate Bill 7 (SB7) ahead of the Alabama Legislature's regular session in February.
SROs are law enforcement officers who, among other things, offer trained and often armed personnel to schools for security purposes. Under existing law, a local board of education may contract with a local police chief or sheriff to employ SROs. However, no provision in Alabama law allows local law enforcement to contract with a non-public school to provide SROs.
SB7 would authorize a sheriff or local chief of police to contract directly with a non-public K-12 school to provide SROs without the input of the local board of education. It would also require a sheriff or local chief of police to charge the non-public school for the total cost of employing any SRO.
Non-public schools include private, church, parochial and religious schools offering K-12 education.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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