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A message for the Salem community March 10, 2021

A message for the Salem community

March 10, 2021

Last July, the Salem Police Department paused the assignment of officers at schools while Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) discussed the renewal of contracts with local police departments. At the meeting of the SKPS School Board last night, March 9, 2021, Superintendent Christy Perry announced the decision to eliminate the contract for school resource officers.

Since last summer, the school resource officers have been working assignments in areas of immediate need. Given the SKPS decision, our school resource officers will now be permanently reassigned to help address ever-increasing service demands and staffing challenges, focusing primarily on patrol response to emergency and priority calls.

While we may be losing some ability and opportunity for youth engagement, we are also now able to redirect some of our valuable and limited personnel resources back to the core services that this community expects and deserves. Regardless of any contractual relationship, we will continue to work collaboratively with SKPS on school safety and emergency protocols.

I am proud of our Youth Services Unit officers, and we will move forward with confidence and appreciation for their work over the last three decades to engage youth and keep Salem students safe. Should there be a future programming opportunity for officers in schools, we will work with all stakeholders, including students, parents and SKPS to develop a model that best fits our community’s needs and interests.

— Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack

While we may be losing some ability and opportunity for youth engagement, we are also now able to redirect some of our valuable and limited personnel resources back to the core services that this community expects and deserves.
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Salem Police Department
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Credits:

SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT