ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Since the start of the school year, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has gone through a season of changes. School started in the fall without School Resource Officers (SROs) and three months later that decision was reversed following requests from school leaders.
New data shown to the ACPS school board Thursday night shows the type of incidents that occurred at Alexandria schools over the first two quarters of the 2021-2022 school year.
According to a school safety data report, there were 18 arrests, 41 fights and 13 weapons confiscated, including a gun and five knives.
The Alexandria Police Department was called fewer times after SROs were reinstated, but the school system’s facility and operations manager says SROs may not be the reason for that.
"I don’t think we can necessarily make that correlation in terms of whether or not there was calls for service because of not having SROs, and I want to be very careful not to make that correlation," Dr. Alicia Hart, the Acting Chief of Facilities and Operations said.
Data shown to the board Thursday is also part of a discussion on how its safety program will look moving forward. Plans were laid out for a proposed new school law enforcement partnership advisory group that will be tasked with providing recommendations to the school board.
“The goal is that we are talking beyond just the SRO program but what does school law enforcement look like in partnering with the schools and how can we reimagine that," said Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings, Jr.
The group would consist of twelve people including ACPS staff, a parent partner, and representatives from the community, Alexandria Police Department, city, and students.
The SRO program is funded through June 2022, according to John Contreras, Director of Safety and Security Services.
Funding for SROs is also a part of the city's budget conversation, which is ongoing.