As part of the $25 million funding announced Tuesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to hire additional school resource officers for the next three years, the Livingston Educational Service Agency will receive $200,000, and the Pinckney Community Schools will receive $97,500.
“Every parent wants their kids to be safe at school,” said Whitmer in a release announcing the awards. “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.”
A panel of representatives from education and policing awarded the grants, with priority given to schools and districts without a school resource officer, as well as schools in communities with lower student enrollment and less per pupil funding. The funds, administered by the Grants and Community Services Division of the Michigan State Police, can be used for salaries, benefits and training of school resource officers.
A 50% match is required from the receiving agency or school district.
The grants, according to MSP Director Col. Joe Gasper, will provide better safety in school buildings by increasing the number of them with at least one resource officer, and prioritizing smaller schools in more remote areas.,
“We will reduce the time it takes for a police response in the event of an emergency,” he said.
In June, Whitmer signed legislation that fully funds risk assessments and critical incidence mapping at every school in the state to help protect students and create safety plans in the event of an emergency. HB 6012 also delivered $10 million to Oxford Community Schools to help them recover from the November 2021 shooting. The funds will be used for personnel and additional student supports, including psychologists, family liaisons, mental health staff, school security, additional learning time, legal fees, and the physical restoration of a school building.
In July, Whitmer signed a balanced, bipartisan education budget making the highest state per-student investment in Michigan history to improve every kid’s in-class experience. The budget sent $210 million to make schools safer and an additional $250 million to respond to student mental health needs, with every school receiving dedicated per-student funding—$214 for every kid in every district—specifically for campus safety and mental health.
These dedicated school safety and mental health dollars can be used by schools to hire more mental health professionals, harden buildings, and create an intervention system for students who are at-risk. The education budget also allocated an additional $25 million specifically for schools to hire more on-campus school resource officers.
“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,” Whitmer said.
