Bill > H338

This bill amends existing law to establish new requirements for school resource officers (SROs), who are law enforcement officers assigned to schools. It mandates that every chief of police must assign at least one SRO to serve schools, with specific consultation requirements for regional school districts and charter schools. The bill emphasizes that SROs should be chosen based on their ability to foster a positive learning environment and prioritize candidates with specialized training in areas like child development, de-escalation, behavioral health, and juvenile justice diversion strategies. Furthermore, it requires a written memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the school superintendent and chief of police to clearly define the SRO's role, including a mission statement focused on collaboration, goals informed by needs assessments, specific responsibilities within the educational context, and governance structures. This MOU must also address student rights, data sharing, and evaluation processes, with biannual review by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill also outlines the need for standard operating procedures (SOPs) that detail daily operations, policy, and procedures, including when legal referrals are necessary versus school discipline, limitations on arrests for public order offenses, procedures for disagreements between administrators and SROs, and guidelines for arrests and searches, emphasizing these actions as last resorts. Finally, it mandates comprehensive initial and ongoing training for SROs covering topics such as mentoring, collaboration, juvenile justice laws, mental health, adolescent development, trauma-informed responses, de-escalation, school-specific issues like bullying and substance abuse, and cultural competence.