NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Starting Friday, School Resource Officers will no longer be working full time at two of Metro's alternative schools, Bass W.A. Alternative School and Johnson Alternative Learning Center.
In a specially called meeting by Metro Council's School Safety Committee, council members wanted answers as to why the officers are being pulled.
The Metro Nashville Police Department, which provides SROs in Metro Schools, says their officers have complained of toxic work environments and being verbally harassed by students on a daily basis.
"The SRO is not a security guard. The SRO is not a facility manager or security manager at that place," said Captain David Corman.
"Our purpose, the MNPD SRO role is to engage in these schools." Corman added. "Mentor, council, educate, assist with everyday operations in the school where you might need a little bit more authority than just a teacher. But that's our main role, to build and foster relationships that don't exist between the police department and community that we serve."
Captain Corman told council members that from now until the end of the school year, the police department will maintain two SROs at Johnson ALC and one SRO at Bass for school arrival and dismissal. The SROs will work at their newly assigned schools during school hours.
Captain Corman says the police department is working on a youth engagement team to help mentor individual at-risk students at Bass and Johnson ALC. The department hopes to have that program in place by the end of the school year.
