Over the last several months, the school district has seen a number of concerns regarding the funding of the school resource officer (SRO).
On Sept. 5, the borough and district announced that they had reached a joint agreement to fund the school resource officer, resolving a months-long concern over whether or not the district would have an officer on standby during the academic year.
Police Chief Jason Cutler and the department were notified of the possibility of the cut in April of this year.
“I talked to the superintendent and the business administrator for the school district and said, ‘Look, we’d be very disappointed if that happened,'” Cutler recalled. “We think it’s a valuable asset, not only for the kids, for their safety and security, but for the staff and the residents as well.”
In July, the district announced that it would not be able to fully fund the position due to constraints and limits created by the budget.
This news sparked backlash from borough residents who did not support the idea of eliminating the Class II special law enforcement officer.
The public outcry led to the borough and district to come together to work for a solution, managing to secure the funding needed to continue the service of the officer.
“During the process of fiscal planning for the 2025-’26 school year, certain services and positions were reduced or eliminated to balance the budget,” said the district in a statement released to families and staff on Sept. 4.
This process is difficult, but it is necessary for us to be fiscally responsible,” they said.
The district went on to explain what cuts were made, noting that in the last two years, the district has had to cut more than $3 million from the budget, with $500,000 of those cuts impacting teaching and support staff.
They also said in the statement that the $50,000 a year expense of the school resource officer was one of the final cuts made in the previously created budget before the collaborative effort to fund the officer for the district.
In order to pay for the officer, the district also announced that cuts will have to be made to other areas of the budget.
Funding for training and professional development conferences was decreased, as were stipends for some coaching positions.
The borough managed to save money on recent hires and reallocated those savings to funding the SRO by bringing on new staff at lower salaries than what was first budgeted.
The district and borough also agreed to a shared service agreement where the officer will serve as a joint resource for the schools and the police department, resulting in cost sharing between the two entities for the officer’s services.
In their statement, the district said they would be looking into grant opportunities to fund the service.
“We are committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students and staff,” the district said. “We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these financial challenges while prioritizing the safety of our school community.”
