LOUISVILLE, Ky.- The plan concerning police officers, known as SROs (School Resource Officers) in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) has been a subject of conversation among citizens, parents, staff, and the Board of Education for months. On Tuesday afternoon, JCPS officials brought the District's plan for an "internal" SRO force to the Board for discussion. 

The new Kentucky law, Senate Bill 1 (2019) requires SROs in schools; JCPS is working out how they will comply. On Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio told the Board that for the 2019-2020 school year, the District will be contracting with local police departments other than Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) for SROs, since LMPD can no longer supply the 17 officers they have been. This will come at no extra cost, Pollio says. 

Then, by the 2020-2021 school year, Pollio hopes to end contracts with outside police departments, and hire JCPS' own force, to subject to added training specific to the District, in addition to other training through the state as certified officers. These 40 officers will cost an added $3.3 Million. When Board members brought up the issue of there being a shortage of qualified law enforcement, Pollio said retired officers and veterans would be considered for the jobs, too. 

"I think it's building the JCPS teams so if they are internal working with us, they are a part of our team. Their services are needed, but they become a part of us and I think that helps us grow the team within," School Board Member Diane Porter said. 

However, not everyone was satisfied with the plan. Members of the audience held signs that read, "Police should be called in, not live in," and "Police feed prison pipeline," and "No police violence in our schools."

"It's not about SROs being bad people. That's not what it is. It's about an educational system that punishes disproportionately based on race, sexual orientation, identity, immigrant status... and that's happening around the country and it's happening here in our schools," said Carla Wallace, a citizen with Showing Up For Racial Justice. 

No action was taken in Tuesday's meeting. The Board will hold another special meeting for a vote, at a date that's not yet decided. Members said they have many questions to be answered before then.