The Waukegan High School will only have one school resource officer for both campuses after a contract dispute with the city over the cost of the officers.
Waukegan School District 60 Superintendent of Schools Theresa Plascencia said last month in a letter to parents and staff that the school district had begun the year without the support of school resource officers (SROs) due to the lack of an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Waukegan.
SROs are law enforcement officers assigned to maintain safety and build positive relationships within the school.
“We have been fortunate for many years to have two such officers from the Waukegan Police Department assigned to our high school campuses. Their presence has greatly contributed to a safer and more connected school environment,” Plascencia said.
Plascencia said the school district deeply values the roles of SROs. “We respect the work they do in maintaining positive relationships with our students and staff, and we understand the value they bring to our school environment.”
The school district said they intended to maintain the SROs’ presence in the schools but had been unable to reach a “financially viable” agreement with the city.
Between the 2016-2017 school year and the 2022-2023 school year, records showed the district paid an average of approximately $70,000 a year for two SROs.
In the 2023-2024 school year, the district paid approximately $120,800 for the two SROs.
“We understand that personnel costs are rising, and we are open to offsetting some of these increases for the City,” Plascencia said.
The school district initially said they were prepared to increase payment to $150,000 for the 2024-2025 school year.
“We believe that our district committing to a 24-percent increase is a fair offer, and we hope that the City will collaborate with us to ensure these highly valued officers can return to our schools as soon as possible,” Plascencia said last month.
Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the city proposed a $350,000 payment for the latest school year.
Taylor said the city informed the school district last year that they could not provide the SROs at the current price anymore.
The mayor said she believed the $350,000 proposal was fair. She said that amount only covers the cost of salary and benefits for eight months for the SROs.
The city would also cover the remainder for other expenses, such as liability insurance, training, workman’s compensation and uniforms.
Taylor said the city had been paying for police officers who they do not have access to since they are dedicated to the school district for the majority of the year.
The mayor also said the city was seeking regular quarterly payments from the district for the SROs and a contract that more specifically defines their duties.
The Waukegan City Council on September 3 voted to approve a $260,000 contract for two SROs. The school district declined and said they would pay a maximum of $220,000.
The school district board on Tuesday chose to only retain one of the two SROs for a total cost of $130,000. The city council is expected to approve the updated contract on Monday.