Ames schools, police remain focused on safety despite lack of school resource officers
The Ames Community School District is confident that the significant number of recent police visits to school buildings is representative of the strong relationship they have with the local force.
The Ames Police Department has responded to more than 700 calls at or near Ames schools since school resource officers were removed via a unanimous school board vote in December 2021. Of those calls, 392 were at or near the high school and 317 at or near the middle school.
Director of Communications Amy DeLashmutt said current Ames Superintendent Dr. Julious Lawson was not directly involved in the decision to remove the SRO program. But, the district retains a strong partnership with local law enforcement and the city overall, she said.
"Even in the absence of SROs, we are committed to facilitating effective communication and coordination in the event of an emergency," DeLashmutt said. "The city of Ames and the Ames Police Department partnerships are instrumental in supporting enhanced school and student safety structures across our district."
The SRO program was discontinued during the 2021-2022 academic year in a joint decision by the district and the City of Ames.
Why is there no SRO program in the Ames school district?
School resource officers are sworn law enforcement officers in a community-oriented policing assignment to work with one or more schools. Their goal is to help foster safe learning environments, provide resources to staff and build relationships with students, according to the National Association of School Resource Officers.
The City of Ames and the school district used to split the cost of the school resource officer program during the nine-month school year, with the city handling compensation during the summer months. As of 2021, the total cost of officer pay, equipment, vehicles and training was $241,512 per year, with the city paying $150,945 and the school district paying $90,567.
The Ames school board voted unanimously to end its school resource officer program two years ago. A joint recommendation from then-interim Superintendent Paula Vincent and Ames City Manager Steve Schainker sparked the decision.
More: Teachers plead for help, support at latest Ames school board meeting
When the program was dissolved, Ames Police Chief Geoff Huff said, the SROs were used more as security than to build relationships with students.
"We don't want to be enforcement for the school, that's not what our role was ever supposed to be; it was all about relationship building, Huff said. "If there was a criminal thing at the school to investigate they would do that, it was also part of the role, and we continue to do that today. People were just getting uncomfortable."
Additionally, a nationwide push in 2020 and 2021 to take resource officers out of schools added the decision, Huff said.
New school year off to rocky start
The Ames CSD superintendent addressed several recent fights at the Oct. 23 school board meeting, pledging to curtail violence.
Lawson said recent scuffles were not exclusive to a single race, program group, gender, age or grade level after taking a "deep dive" into the data.
"We are still actively working with school leaders to mitigate fights and all other acts of violence within our district," Lawson said on Oct. 23. "Fear has no place in our schools. The emotional and physical safety of our students and staff are paramount."
Current substitute and former Ames Middle School teacher Missy Springsteen-Haupt spoke to the school board at the Nov. 20 school board meeting, requesting help with a staffing shortage and a recent surge in incident reports. The teacher did not reference any specific incidents or content shared on social media, but said she was worried about how the current teacher shortage might increase.
She asked the board to consider returning an associate principal to the school.
"It’s very clear if you spend even five minutes in the middle school that people are drowning," Springsteen-Haupt said on Nov. 20. "I think an immediate action that could be taken is if this board could look at things like referrals and incident reports, teachers and EAs who have been injured or harmed while working at the middle school. We need another AP back."
Students expelled during October special sessions
Two closed special sessions were held within a week of the Oct. 23 meeting to discipline several Ames High School students.
Two students were expelled from the high school and consent expulsion agreements were approved for three students. The board would not confirm if the agreements meant the students were expelled from school or not.
An incident report for a fight at the high school on Oct. 17 was filed, and videos of the alleged scuffle circulated on social media.
DeLashmutt said the number of fights at Ames High School has declined since mid-October.
More: Ames district pledges to improve student safety after recent high school fights
Ames PD is short-staffed but remains focused on providing safety
The Ames school district has not approached the local police department about reinstating the program despite a significant number of police visits.
Huff said the local PD doesn't have the staffing to assign officers to schools anyway, because the police department is currently down five officer positions.
Of the calls made so far during the fall semester, Ames Police has responded to 18 juvenile or assault-related calls. Huff said that not all calls on record are directly connected to the school. Police reports are run by address, so any accident, traffic stop, or another emergency near the area would be addressed, appearing on call logs as if it originated from the high school.
More: Ames school board expels students after four-hour special session
Ames CSD pledges unity, understanding and respect
The Ames school district stands firmly behind its decision to remove SROs, believing it helps provide a more inclusive atmosphere.
DeLashmutt said student discipline is handled not by SROs but by the school administration. The school district was also experiencing a wave of violence in 2021 when the program was eliminated.
"It is crucial to recognize that the issue of SROs in schools is a divisive one, stirring a range of emotions and viewpoints among our stakeholders," DeLashmutt said. "While we appreciate the diversity of opinions within our community, it is equally important to underscore our shared commitment to maintaining a school environment that prioritizes unity, understanding, and respect."
DeLashmutt said it is crucial to remember the district's strength lies in its ability to engage in open and constructive dialogue. Differences in opinion should serve as an opportunity for individuals to come together and find common ground aligning with their shared values.
Racial controversy at Ames High
An SRO was accused of using a racial slur around the same time the district was considering dropping the program in 2021.
Huff said the context was entirely different and the officer did not use a slur word.
The SRO and a police intern arrived at the high school when a student − who was a person of color - walked up and called to the intern using a racial slur.
"Our SRO turned to the kid, who he knew, and said, 'Hey, don't call him the that,' but he used the word," Huff said. "The student then told a bunch of people the SRO used the word, and it got out of context from there."
Though the school district and police department were aware of the real story, Huff said rumors spiraled and the allegation got a life of its own. The police officer was removed from the high school per the request of the district and the city manager.
Ames schools, PD continue strong partnership
The police department continues to take calls for service at Ames schools. The district has also collaborated with the police department to offer an anonymous reporting system known as P3 Campus to schools.
"We still continue to have a partnership," Huff said. "It's just different than what it was before, without physically having an SRO in schools."
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Why doesn't the Ames CSD have school resource officers?
