James T. Akagi
School safety has been a high-priority issue for many people across the country since the deadly Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut in December.
It’s been an issue in Oak Ridge as well, with proposals to increase the number of school resource officers, or SROs, and a vigorous debate in July that was sparked by a controversial guest column written by Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn.
On Thursday, Oak Ridge municipal and education officials announced a cooperative effort to govern the city’s SRO program. They said an agreement has been reached between city officials and school officials on a memorandum of understanding, or MOU.
“The MOU delineates the mission, organizational structure and procedures of the City of Oak Ridge-Oak Ridge Schools SRO program as a collaborative effort between the city and the schools,” a press release said. The MOU has been signed by Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi, Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers, Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer, and City Manager Mark Watson.
The signing followed a Wednesday morning meeting at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building that included Akagi, Borchers, Fillauer, Oak Ridge Police Department Capt. Michael Uher, ORPD Lt. Robin Smith, ORPD Sgt. Robert Pitts, Oak Ridge City Attorney Ken Krushenski, Oak Ridge Senior Staff Attorney Tammy Dunn, and Oak Ridge Schools Attorney Lawrence Giordano.
“After approximately an hour of discussion, all parties agreed to a finalized version of the MOU, which defines how Oak Ridge school resource officers (SROs) will interact with school officials during the 2013-2014 school year,” the release said. It said the MOU was sent to the Oak Ridge City Council and School Board.
Akagi said he was pleased with the cooperation between the city and schools, including with Borchers, who started in Oak Ridge in June.
“Bruce is a fantastic individual, and I look forward to working with him and his leadership team in the upcoming school year,” Akagi said. “We at the Police Department are committed to ensuring safety and security for the Oak Ridge Schools, and the signing of this MOU is the first step of many related to providing the best possible service to students and staff.”
“I have truly enjoyed partnering with Chief Akagi on this important issue of school safety,” Borchers said. “In addition to being very pleased about having a signed MOU, I am also excited about the level of trust and collaboration that was able to take place today between the city and the school district. I look forward to many years of collaboration with Chief Akagi as we make Oak Ridge a model for school safety.”
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Dave Smith says
Surely an argument can be made that this MOU would have been executed even without the “vigorous debate in July.” Thus, in this regard, the highly publicized debate (if one can call it such) was superfluous.
Charlie Jernigan says
I agree, this was already in process and the media flurry about terror was not only superfluous but detracted from the good work that has happened before and since.
It did server its intended purpose though.
David Allred says
It can be harder than I think many realize. So much gray area in school safety… if you over-protect you draw community ire. If you under-protect, the ire is the same. Glad to see it done however.
Denny Phillips says
Thank you Trina Baughn!
Sam Hopwood says
Thanks Trina! There are times when a little “encouragement” is needed to gain results.
Skirnir Hamilton says
Are we, the public, going to be able to see some of the terms of this MOU?
johnhuotari says
It’s a public record, and I have requested a copy.