Submitted By: Susan Dobson
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Presentation By: Angy Scroble
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Department: Police
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Approve first amendment to the agreement with the Marion County School Board for the School Resource Officer Program with receivables of $1,602,960
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place.
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
The School Resource Officer Program assigns a School Resource Officer (SRO) to work closely with the school principal and staff to develop plans and strategies to prevent and/or minimize dangerous situations that may result in student unrest. They make referrals to community agencies for students and staff as needed as well as provide educational counseling and law enforcement as needed and desired.
Pursuant to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB 7026), the Marion County School Board (School Board) and the City of Ocala have drafted an agreement to assign police officers to 16 schools to further the safety and security of students and staff. The Agreement for the School Resource Officer Program (“Original Agreement”) was entered into for an initial term of three years on June 28, 2022.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
Through this agreement, the Ocala Police Department will assign one regularly employed police officer to each of the following schools: Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary School, College Park Elementary School, Eighth Street Elementary School, Madison Street Academy School, Oakcrest Elementary School, South Ocala Elementary School, Ward-Highlands Elementary School, and Wyomina Park Elementary School.
The Ocala Police Department assigned two (2) regularly employed police officers each to Vanguard High School and West Port High School pursuant to the agreement.
The First Amendment to the Original Agreement encompasses the following changes:
• Assignment of a third regularly employed police officer to West Port High School and the resulting fiscal increases for the 2024-2025 school year.
• Amendment of the articulation of the duties of the SRO in the agreement to include: “Each SRO shall be a State Certified Law Enforcement Officer and meet any other training certifications required for this position by School Safety Requirements. The City shall require each SRO to maintain the required certifications. The City shall maintain all records of the certifications of the SRO which shall be provided to the “School Board” upon request.”
The SRO Program has been beneficial to the City of Ocala, the Marion County School Board, and the students of Marion County Public Schools.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Marion County School Board will increase the amount it pays the City of Ocala from $126,549 per month to $133,580 from July 1, 2024 until the contract terminates on June 30, 2025. The revenue will be appropriated to revenue account number 001-342-000-000-02-34215 as part of the annual budget process.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
This contract has been reviewed and approved in compliance with the City’s Procurement Policy.
LEGAL REVIEW:
This agreement will be reviewed and approved for form and legality by City Attorney, William E. Sexton.
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny