Some leaders, parents want school resource officers back in Portland Public Schools

ABC News Local ^ | December 16, 2022 | by Eric Mock

[Oldeconomybuyer]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Some Portland leaders and parents are calling for the return of school resource officers to Portland Public Schools, while some activists say bringing them back wouldn't help reduce the violence.

“It’s worrisome and concerning," said Portland Public Schools parent Eric Happel when talking about the recent violence near Portland high schools.

He has a child who's an 11th grade student at Lincoln High School in Portland.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell, a former school resource officer himself, says he welcomes the move if Portland Public Schools agrees.

But Executive Director of Don't Shoot Portland Teressa Raiford says these officers can sometimes have a negative impact on students of color.

Which is why she worked to push for their removal from PPS back in 2020.

“Just working to advocate for children and families that were negatively affected by their presence,” Raiford said.

She also pointed out that shootings happen at schools with SROs.

“I know that I and other people across the country have witnessed shootings at schools across the country at schools where they did have SROs and did have a police presence,” Raiford said.

She says, instead, the focus should be on connecting students and their families to mental health resources and other resources to prevent violence.

“We should be looking at ways to be proactive and connect with those families who are most vulnerable to that type of violence or being victims of that type of violence," Raiford said.

[JBW1949]

“...connecting students and their families to mental health resources...”

Yeah, Teressa, that really works well, huh???/s

[Twotone]

If you would like more information about what’s happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me. Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.

[Organic Panic]

“a negative impact on students of color.”

Just about all violence in Portland occurs in one neighborhood. A neighborhood of color.

[metmom]

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Why send your kids to a school that is so dangerous that they need armed police protection?

[T.B. Yoits]

Let the adults who voted to defund the police go and volunteer their time guarding the schools.

[dadgum]

“I know that I and other people across the country have witnessed shootings at schools across the country at schools where they did have SROs and did have a police presence,” Raiford said.

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So, she is also an Actuary? Lol.
Her conclusion is meaningless and statistically insignificant.

[KarlInOhio]

Am I the only one who hates the term “resource officer”? It sounds like the person in school responsible for allocating chalk to the teachers instead of the school law enforcement officer there to keep the students in line and very rarely defend a school from an outside attacker.