ICS & PD remain silent on SRO removal

Either side agreed to give 60-day notice of changes

 

IMLAY CITY — The sudden removal of the School Resource Officer from the Imlay City school district continues to have left parents and other interested parties questioning the action.

And, there has been no direct comment by either side as to why the action was taken.

Monday evening (March 24) at the Imlay City School Board meeting, the board went in to executive session to review legal advice from one of the district’s attorneys.

Neither Supt. Dr. Stu Cameron nor Board President Sharon Muir confirmed or denied the closed session was in regards to the SRO issue.

The move has left the school district without an officer on campus, unless on routine patrol, an officer may pass through a parking lot from time to time.

Responding to a FOIA request by the Tri-City Times, the Imlay City Police Department provided a copy of the School Resource Officer (SRO) contract entered into by the City of Imlay City, the Imlay City Police Department and the school district.

Two points of interest in the contract. Under #8 – “The ICCS agrees to pay the CITY for such law enforcement service (SRO) at actual costs of one officer, at 86.2% per attached cost package with an estimated sum of $92,402 per school year (including vehicle); said actual monthly cost to be billed to the ICCS by the City and payable to the City of Imlay City; bookkeeping/payroll department within 30 days.”

Secondly, under #9, a portion of the paragraph reads, “Both the CITY/ICCS agrees that said agreement may be revoked by either party with (60) sixty days of notice.”

The removal of the SRO from the district was done in early March, with little or no warning, according to sources.

Below is the full contract for the SRO:

CITY OF IMLAY CITY AGREEMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
School Resource Officer
(SRO) – The 2024-25 school year 08/019/2024 to 06/07/2025

THIS AGREEMENT made and entered into this ____ day of ____, 2024, by and between the City of Imlay City (hereinafter referred to as “City”), through the Imlay City Commission and Imlay City Community Schools (hereby referred to as “ICCS”).

WITNESS TO: WHEREAS, the ICCS is desirous of contracting with the CITY, for the performance of law enforcement functions within its schools located in the boundaries of the City of Imlay City; and WHEREAS, the CITY and ICCS have, by appropriate resolution, been authorized to enter into this agreement pursuant to the provisions of Act 35 of the Public Acts of 1951, being M.S.A.5.408 15.4084; and WHEREAS, the uniform maintenance and enforcement of law and order and the safety and welfare of the students, staff, citizens and residents of the contracted community are of primary importance; and WHEREAS, the CITY and ICCS desires to secure law enforcement services to further enhanced local police protection in the Imlay City Community Schools located with-in the city limits of Imlay City.

IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

#1. The CITY agrees to provide enhanced police protection (SRO) within Imlay City High School, Venture High School, Imlay City Middle School and all elementary schools located in the CITY and said protection to consist of the enforcement of State Statutes and the City Ordinances, liquor enforcement, etc. For the purposes of performing such functions, the CITY shall furnish and supply (in addition to one officer) supervision, equipment (including cameras and vehicles), communication facilities and other necessary supplies needed in order to perform such services. Notwithstanding anything heretofore contained, it is agreed that in all instances where special supplies, such as stationary, notices, forms, and the like, need to be executed in the name of the CITY and/or the ICCS, the same shall be supplied at the ICCS cost and expense.

#2. The standards of performance, the discipline of officer(s) and other matters incidental to the performance of such service and the control of the CITY Police Officer (SRO) so assigned to provide such services shall remain in the CITY; however, the standards of performance shall not be lower than that furnished to the CITY.

#3. The ICCS shall not be required to assume any liability for the direct payment of salaries, wages or other compensation to the CITY for any CITY personnel performing the services set forth in this document except as herein otherwise specified. The CITY will protect and save harmless the ICCS from any or all claims, demands, suits and other forms of liability by reason of actions taken by the contracted employee in the scope of his/her employment.

#4. The law enforcement service (SRO) to be provided by the CITY shall consist of furnishing one CITY officer for the number of hours contracted, shifts to be determined by the Chief of Police or his/her designee, starting and ending time to be established by the Chief of Police upon the ICCS recommendation.

#5. The scope of this agreement is for (12) twelve months of the City’s fiscal year (approx. 2088 hours or 261 days X 8 hours a day). Actual time will be less, taking into consideration bargained for benefits, such as but not limited to, Paid Time Off, Training, Bereavement etc.,

#6. Any sick leave time in excess of five (5) consecutive work days will be staffed by the City Police Department, if manpower available. Any days the ICCS is closed and the SRO is not required to report to the schools, the assigned officer will either use a holiday, a PTO day or report to work at the city.

#7. The City reserves the right to utilize mutual aide, by dispatching the SRO to any city police enforcement situation involving health, welfare or public safety of the community.

#8. The ICCS agrees to pay the CITY for such law enforcement service (SRO) at actual costs of one officer, at 86.2% per attached cost package with an estimated sum of $92,402 per school year (including vehicle); said actual monthly cost to be billed to the ICCS by the City and payable to the City of Imlay City; bookkeeping/payroll department within 30 days.

#9. This Agreement shall be effective from the date said Agreement is executed by the CITY and ICCS and shall be a one-year (1) contract beginning on/about AUGUST 16, 2022 (Teacher Full day of school) and end on/about June 12, 2023 (last day of school Teacher) 225 days per attached calendar. Both the CITY/ICCS agrees that said agreement may be revoked by either party with (60) sixty days of notice. This agreement can be renewed each year if/when both the CITY and ICCS agree to continue this law enforcement (SRO) relationship.

#10. In the event there are special requests for additional law enforcement / security details such as, but not limited to; sporting events, dances/proms, field trips, etc. Any planned event must be pre-approved by the school administration and the Chief of Police. The School Administration and the Chief of Police will retain the right to either adjust the officers (SRO) schedule or the school administration will provide the overtime coverage on a case-by-case basis.

(a) It will ultimately be the responsibility of the SRO to correctly flex their 8-hour work day in order to accommodate an after-school event within each pay period.

(b) For such overtime event(s), ICCS will pay 100% of the officer’s (SRO) overtime cost in addition to this contract cost. If payments not received by the 30th day of each month, services may be suspended for subsequent month(s) until payments are current.

(c) If a planned event is necessary after the normal 7am-3pm scheduled hours, such as an evening event that begins after the school day (3pm) and it is necessary for the SRO to be present and he/she shall specifically be requested by the school administration either verbally or in writing. The SRO will flex their hours to cover the entire after school event and work only part of the school day or go “off the clock” at 3pm and “go back on the clock” at the scheduled event time.

Ex. A 7pm football game is scheduled and approved for attendance, a game may last until 10:00pm the SRO will arrive at the school at 10am and stay until 3pm, “go off the clock” from 3pm-7pm and complete the remainder of the 8-hour day from 7pm-10pm.

(d) The Chief of Police or his representative, a representative of the school administration and the SRO will meet at least once each month to review the SRO’s proposed work schedule.

#11. In the event the cost to the CITY in providing law enforcement to ICCS increases during the term of this Agreement, the additional amount necessary to cover such increase shall be added to the payment including, but not limited to any retro-active pay or compensation incentives.

#12. In the event the ICCS requests additional service during the term of this agreement, the cost of said additional service shall be determined by the mutual agreement of the parties hereto.

#13. The services herein provided shall be limited to the contracted portions of the CITY/ICCS.

#14. The SRO position is a detail provided to the ICCS for no longer than a two-year term. The Imlay City Police Administration and ICCS reserve the right to review the officer chosen for the position and to either retain or rotate the individual at that time.

#15. Any outgoing SRO will serve as a field training officer for the next SRO for a sufficient orientation time period agreed upon by both the Police Administration, the ICCS Administration and the out-going SRO.

#16. This contract contains the entire agreement of the parties and may not be modified except by a written agreement signed by authorized agents for the parties.

At the bottom of the contract are four lines for signatures from Imlay City Mayor Barbara Yockey, Imlay City Manager Craig Horton, Police Chief Brett Selby and ICS Supt. Dr. Stu Cameron.

With spring time rapidly approaching and numerous activities planned, including graduation, the district has not addressed how they intend to handle security, other than the occasional patrol car passing through the parking lots.