Who Pays for Adding Cops to Schools?

Against the backdrop of a projected school tax increase and a staffing reduction, the Hatboro-Horsham School District is looking at ways to pay for the addition of armed police as "another layer of safety and security" at district schools.

The so-called school resource officer, if the district and Hatboro and Horsham opt to hire such a police officer (or officers) to patrol schools, could start as early as next school year. But, before then, administrators and municipal officials must find ways to pay for the additional salary.

Do you think school resource officers or armed police should be hired for Hatboro-Horsham schools? If so, who should pay their salaries and benefits?

One possibility that the Hatboro Borough Council is actively pursuing is a U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS Hiring grant, according to Hatboro Police Chief James Gardner. The council is expected to authorize submission of the grant during its May 20 meeting.

If received, the grant would cover 75 percent of a new officer's salary and benefits for the first three years, Gardner said. The municipality or school district would need to pay the remaining 25 percent and would be required to keep the officer employed at least one year after the grant's expiration, he said.

A new police officer earns $32,500 a year and health insurance and pensions account for about $20,000 more, meaning the annual cost per officer would be about $52,500, according to Gardner.

While the grant is competitive, Gardner said Hatboro succeeded in obtaining other COPS grants previously. This particular grant gives "special consideration" to new officers who would be used as school resource officers, Gardner added.

Since Pennypack Elementary School and Crooked Billet Elementary School are the only district schools in Hatboro's jurisdiction, Gardner said police efforts would be focused on those schools, but the officer would not be assigned to the schools on a full-time basis. Rather, the department's 15th officer would serve as a "liaison to the school distinct."

As such, Gardner said the officer would lead programs, including educational efforts on Internet and pedestrian safety, as well as drug abuse programs and "whatever the school district would want to get involved with."

Besides working with the school district, Gardner said the officer would also help to fill temporary gaps resulting from retirements of long-time police officers. In four years, for instance, Gardner said 28 percent of Hatboro's existing police department is eligible for retirement. The officer, if hired, would also serve as an additional patrol officer during peak hours, he said. 

"Timing was right for us," Gardner said of the grant, the school district's hope to add more security and the police department's eye on its future needs. "There's no guarantee that we would get the funding."

Hatboro-Horsham School District Superintendent Curtis Griffin had initially said that the resource officer would be hired in time for next school year. This week, Griffin said, "it might not be feasible" by that time frame, in large part, because of funding.

"Some grants have fiscal years, others have calendar years," he said. "Those are all things we have to look at."

In Horsham, as far as having a school resource officer for Keith Valley Middle School, Hatboro-Horsham High School, or either of the elementary schools, Horsham Township Manager Bill Walker said "no final decisions have been made."

"We are still exploring with the school district different options and different ways of having better security at the schools," Walker said. "There’s a cost that goes into that."

Walker said the governing body has not made plans to apply for the COPS grant yet. This year's deadline is May 22. The grant would only cover the expenses of hiring a new officer, meaning that if Horsham hired a police officer and submitted a grant application next year, the funds could not be used to cover the existing officer's salary. 

"Either we have to do it now or look for another grant," Walker said.

As far as which entity covers the additional police officer's salary and benefits, Walker said it would be "one or the other, or a combination" of the school district and township.