Public Meeting Notice  Model School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding (SRO-MOU) Review Commission Meeting

Commission Members Present:

Angela Davis (Co-Chair), Anne Gilligan (Co-Chair), Angela Brooks, Melissa Threadgill, Michael Bradley, Robert Ferullo, Phillip Kassel, Jon Evans, Dyana Boutwell, Leon Smith, Tammy Mello, Amanda Weber, Ellen Holmes, Mechilia Salazar, Sean Tobin, Paul Andrews, Henry Thomas, Glen Daly, and James Cobbs.

The meeting was called to order at 9:02 a.m.

1. Welcome and Introductions

The Commission Co-Chairs welcomed Commission members and confirmed Commission members in attendance.

2. Public Comments

Public comments were presented to the Commission by Dan French board president of the nonprofit Citizens for Public Schools. His remarks included information on studies on the presence of school police or SROs in schools.  These studies indicate an increase in rates of suspensions, arrests, and the criminalization of student behaviors when an SRO is present. Remarks also referenced additional studies that focus on the role that racial bias and disproportionality plays in school arrests and suspensions for Black and Latinx students over their White peers for the same offenses.   Comments also noted that the impact of the school arrests and suspensions is substantial and lasting over time.

3.  Vote to Accept May Meeting Minutes

Motion to accept May meeting minutes as distributed was accepted and approved unanimously by Commission Membership.

4. Public Input Subcommittee Update

Commission member Mello provided the Commission with an overview of the discussions that took place during the subcommittee meeting, held June 17, 2021. Commission members Leon Smith, Jim Cobbs, Paul Andrews, and the Co-Chairs were in attendance. The subcommittee has been meeting to identify the most effective strategies for collecting public input, a timeline to vet this information, and the role of the Commission members to assist in facilitating this work. The subcommittee emailed a draft input survey to the Commission members for feedback prior to today’s meeting and discussed identifying groups/organizations for hosting possible forums in multiple languages in multiple geographical areas of the Commonwealth. Chief Ferullo offered to assist with coordinating the logistics for in-person forums and multiple Commission members discussed reaching out to different groups/organizations to solicit public input.   

Commission members participated in a conversation regarding defining the role of a SRO on the survey, collecting information on the individual filling out the survey, and adding a section at the end of the survey to capture any concerns/information not addressed in the survey. Commission members were encouraged to email the Co-Chairs with additional feedback and edits on the survey.

5.  MOU Discussion Topic: (ii) the roles and responsibilities of the school resource officer, the police department, and the school

Commission members participated in a conversation on defining the role of a SRO with discussions regarding how much flexibility should be incorporated into this standard. Commission member Threadgill cited General Law - Part I, Title XII, Chapter 71, Section 37P (malegislature.gov) which states:  ''School resource officer'', a duly sworn municipal police officer with all necessary training, up-to-date certificates or a special officer appointed by the chief of police charged with providing law enforcement and security services to elementary and secondary public schools. For the purpose of this section a school resource officer shall be exempt under subsection (j) of section 10 of chapter 269, while serving in the officer's official capacity. Commission members discussed not having a clear understanding of the definition of a SRO verses a school police officer and acknowledged that different communities/districts may have different definitions.

To assist in crafting the draft MOU language, a new subcommittee was proposed which received significant support. Commission members Ellen Holmes, Chief Bradley, Phil Kassel, Glenn Daly, Angela Brooks, Leon Smith and Melissa Threadgill, along with the Co-Chairs, volunteered to participate in this new MOU Development Subcommittee.

6. Open Session, Topics not Reasonably Anticipated within 48 Hours of the Meeting

No additional topics were raised at this time.

A motion was made and approved to adjourn at 10:48 a.m.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. 

1. Welcome - 9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
2. Public Comments 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
3. May Meeting Minutes Discussion and Approval - 9:30 a.m.
4. Public Input Subcommittee Update - 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
   1. One-Pager Presentation
5. MOU Discussion Topic: (ii) the roles and responsibilities of the school resource officer, the police department and the school - 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
6. Open Session, Topics not Reasonably Anticipated within 48 Hours of the Meeting - 10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.
7. Adjournment - 11 a.m.