MN Republicans Call For Special Session Over School Resource Officers

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Republicans are calling for a special legislative session to address school safety after several county sheriffs and police departments removed their school resource officers this week.

The removals were in response to a new law passed by Minnesota Democrats in the spring that restricts officers from holding students in a prone position and other restraints.

"School resource officers play a critical role in ensuring school safety. But sadly, our schools are less safe today due to the Minnesota DFL's extreme, single-party control, and their zealous anti-police agenda has put students, teachers, and staff in danger," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman David Hann said in a statement.

"Governor Tim Walz and legislative Democrats should listen to the serious concerns raised today by law enforcement and legislative Republicans, who are calling for an immediate and brief special session to address this critical issue. I encourage all Minnesotans who support a special session to address this critical gap in school safety to contact their elected officials."

Law enforcement officials say the new restrictions will prevent them from breaking up hallway fights and other school incidents.

On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office became the latest law enforcement agency to announce that it will end its school resource program.

"The ambiguous limitations imposed this year are incompatible with sworn duties of a licensed peace officer," Sheriff Dawanna Witt said in announcing her decision.

"In an ideal world, there would never be a need for SROs to use physical restraint in the school environment. But when the need to respond to a serious incident arises, they need to know that they will not be held liable for appropriately fulfilling that duty."

The decision means the sheriff's office will no longer station an officer at Rockford High School.

"While we understand the circumstances that led to this difficult decision, it deeply saddens the school district to know that we won’t see the familiar face of our Hennepin County SRO in the halls when school starts," said Superintendent Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover of the Rockford Area Schools.

"My experiences with SROs have been positive ones, SROs are a part of the fabric of the school. They support kids and families in difficult times and build meaningful relationships. We hope that we can welcome them back to our district soon."

Hennepin County so far joins Moorhead, Redwood Falls, Clay County, and Anoka County in suspending its school resource officer program.

Since Aug. 14, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MPCA) has formally sought clarification from state officials on the law but has been unsatisfied with the response.

"Students, Teachers, School Administrators and Staff, and parents all deserve clarity on the expectations of what force SROs and agents can use to keep schools and school events safe," MPCA Executive Director Jeff Potts wrote in a letter to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

"We want to avoid any impacts on school and student safety due to the lack of clarity of the law and important unanswered questions. This lack of clarity has created enough concern that some Chiefs are now having to carefully determine the risk both SROs and students may be put in under this new law."

The new language was passed in the Democrats' omnibus education bill last session.

Ellison's office argues that the new law does not limit the types of reasonable force that may be used by school staff and school resource officers.