Gov. Whitmer Awards Funding to Hire School Resource Officers in Jackson County

(January 17, 2023 11:54 AM) Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that 195 school districts, intermediate school districts, and public-school academies will receive nearly $25 million to support the hiring of 195 school resource officers (SROs) for the next three years.  The program will improve safety and security for more than 334,000 students in our state. 

In Jackson County, three public school districts and a public charter school will receive grants:  Columbia School District $167,205,  East Jackson Community Schools $147,622,   Michigan Center School District $147,631, Springport Public  Schools $147,017, and The da Vinci Institute $97,890.

“Every parent wants their kids to be safe at school,” said Governor Whitmer. “These grants will help us hire almost 200 more School Resource Officers so we can make sure our children, teacher, and staff are safe at school. Let’s keep working together to make record investments in our students and improve their classroom experience, build up school infrastructure, hire excellent educators, and invest in their comprehensive well-being, from mental health to safety.”   

A panel consisting of representatives from education and policing awarded the grants, giving priority to schools and school districts without a school resource officer currently in place, as well as schools from more communities with lower student enrollment and less total per pupil funding. These funds administered by the Michigan State Police (MSP), Grants and Community Services Division, may be used to support salaries, benefits and training for SROs, which are law enforcement officers responsible for keeping students safe in school. A 50 percent match is required to be provided by the applicant jurisdiction.  

“These grant awards will not only help to provide better safety in our school buildings by increasing the number of schools throughout the state with at least one SRO, but very importantly, by prioritizing smaller schools in more remote areas, we will reduce the time it takes for a police response in the event of an emergency,” said MSP Director Col. Joe Gasper.   

In July, Governor Whitmer signed a balanced, bipartisan education budget making the highest state per-student investment in Michigan history to improve every kid’s in-class experience. The budget sent $210 million to make schools safer and an additional $250 million to respond to student mental health needs, with every school receiving dedicated per-student funding—$214 for every kid in every district—specifically for campus safety and mental health.    

These dedicated school safety and mental health dollars can be used by schools to hire more mental health professionals, harden buildings, and create an intervention system for students who are at-risk. The education budget also allocated an additional $25 million specifically for schools to hire more on-campus school resource officers.