School districts in Lenawee County receive state grants to hire police officers
On Wednesday, 195 Michigan school districts, intermediate school districts and charter schools, including four in Lenawee County, were awarded grants from the state’s School Resource Officer Grant Program.
Grants were awarded by a panel of education and policing representatives, with priority given to schools and districts without a school resource officer and those with lower enrollments and less state funding, a news release said.
Local districts receiving grants are:
Blissfield Community Schools, $154,125.
Hudson Area Schools, $96,750.
Madison School District, $154,027.
Sand Creek Community Schools, $131,691.
The Department of State Police Grants and Community Services Division administers the grants, and school districts must match 50% of the funding. These funds may be used to support salaries, benefits and training for SROs, who are law enforcement officers responsible for keeping students safe in school.
“These grant awards will not only help to provide better safety in our school buildings by increasing the number of schools throughout the state with at least one SRO, but very importantly, by prioritizing smaller schools in more remote areas, we will reduce the time it takes for a police response in the event of an emergency,” Michigan State Police Director Col. Joe Gasper said in a release.
“These grants are part of a continuing effort to protect all Michigan students and ensure they can focus on getting the education they need to succeed,” state Sen. Joe Bellino Jr., R-Monroe, said in a news release.
“Every parent wants their kids to be safe at school,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release. “These grants will help us hire almost 200 more School Resource Officers so we can make sure our children, teacher, and staff are safe at school. Let’s keep working together to make record investments in our students and improve their classroom experience, build up school infrastructure, hire excellent educators, and invest in their comprehensive well-being, from mental health to safety.”
In all, the Michigan Legislature invested $25 million in the current 2022-23 budget for the grant program to help school districts hire police officers for their buildings.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County school districts get state grants to hire police
