What is the game plan for securing schools this next school year? If it were up to the Port St. Lucie City Council, part of the plan would include staffing each publicly-funded school within the city limits with a Port St. Lucie police officer.
But it’s not up to the City Council. Instead, the decision ultimately rests with the St. Lucie County School Board.
“St. Lucie Public Schools is in the process of planning and working with its local law enforcement partners to develop a plan for staffing schools appropriately,” St. Lucie Public Schools spokeswoman Kerry Padrick told St. Lucie Voice, following a special City Council meeting Monday.
Following the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., in February, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office has shifted its personnel to ensure there is at least one School Resource Deputy at every publicly-funded school in the county, regardless of city limits.
Sheriff Ken Mascara has said the measure is only temporary until the end of the current school year.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department currently has four School Resource Officers assigned to the three high schools and Somerset College Preparatory – all within city limits.
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, the Florida Legislature allocated $400 million to the state’s school districts, funds earmarked for improving school safety.
“At first, I was really excited,” Police Chief John Bolduc told the City Council upon hearing about the funds. But “$400 million doesn’t go very far.” St. Lucie County is expected to receive $2.1 million – of which a little more than $1 million would be allocated to schools within the city limits.
Chief Bolduc explained that the funding was meted out based on the crime index, adding that this was one time when Port St. Lucie’s low crime rate has not helped.
Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School had a reputation as being one of the safest – if not the safest – in Broward County. But that didn’t stop a former student from returning and killing 17 and injuring several others.
The state has also required each school district to implement a School Safety Officer program by either establishing their own law enforcement department, or contracting with local law enforcement.
School districts were also granted the power to determine if they wanted to implement a School Marshal or School Guardian program – a program that would allow school staff to be armed.
Chief Bolduc said his discussions with the Sheriff’s Office and the School District have left him with the impression that neither is interested in such a program.
“Let’s take that off the table,” Mayor Gregory Oravec responded.
If the School District were to go along with Port St. Lucie’s request to equip city schools with city officers, the city would most likely have to pick up the tab.
Chief Bolduc explained that it costs approximately $85,000 annually per officer, not counting equipment. To ensure coverage of shift relief, school events, meetings and the like, the chief estimates (his “best guess”) it would cost $2.97 million.
If the schools within the city receive $1.19 million, that leaves a budget shortfall of $1.78 million.
Oravec and Vice Mayor Shannon Martin pushed to create a city policy that would result in the city’s police officers being assigned to the public schools in the city.
Oravec explained that having city police in city schools helps the agency build relationships with the students.
Fellow council members agreed, but raised questions and concerns about how it would be funded. They also expressed concern that the city might be seen as trying to muscle its way in when the decision rests with the School Board.
“I want the children safe,” Councilman John Carvelli, a former School Board member, said. “That’s priority No. 1.”
Councilwoman Jolien Caraballo floated the idea that perhaps the city’s police department could find other ways to support security at the schools – in the event the School Board works out an agreement with the Sheriff’s Office instead.
Mayor Oravec expressed dismay that the conversation was getting away from school safety and, instead, getting bogged down with details.
“I’m about as frustrated as I’ve been up here,” he said. “You start with safety first.”
He reminded the council that its job is to create policy and then have staff work out the details and bring it back for review and approval. “We do it all the time,” he said.
Martin said it’s the council’s job to make sure the city is safe, and that includes in the schools. “If you don’t have safety, you have nothing,” she said. “You have chaos.”
Ultimately, the five council members agreed that a new Memorandum of Understanding should be crafted that, recognizing the School District’s autonomy, would allow for the Port St. Lucie Police Department to provide School Resource Officers at each of the publicly-funded schools within the city limits by the start of the next school year.
