New Hanover Co. School Board approves agreement providing certain schools with School Resource Officers

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Board of Education voted to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with Law Enforcement School Resource Officers during a meeting on Tuesday night.

The agreement outlines the relationship between the schools and school resource officers.

Parents have raised concern over the section outlining interrogation procedures. The section says that students could be interrogated by the Student Resource Officers (SROs) without a parent or guardian present if they aren’t able to reach them. In that case, the principal or other designated adult would be present unless the SRO directs otherwise for safety or investigative reasons.

An updated version of the agreement includes that the interrogations will be conducted in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 7B-2101. The statute says, “When the juvenile is less than 16 years of age, no in-custody admission or confession resulting from interrogation may be admitted into evidence unless the confession or admission was made in the presence of the juvenile’s parent, guardian, custodian, or attorney.”

Before approving the item, Judy Justice called for discussion and shared concerns that she has heard from the community. The concerns included that children could be easily convinced to participate in an interview even after being read their Miranda rights, the psychological effects of questioning children, and elementary-aged children could experience trauma by seeing an SRO in school.

Additionally, Justice shared concern of her own in the qualifications of the officers being assigned SRO positions. The memorandum outlines that officers must complete a 40 hour Basic School Resource Officer training curriculum. If the officer has not received this training when they are assigned, they must complete the training within a year. Justice believed the training should occur before the officer is assigned, but Lt. Smith, an officer present at the meeting, explained it is not always feasible to mandate training before an officer is assigned due to staffing and scheduling.

Ultimately, Nelson Beaulieu moved to approve the memorandum and Hugh McManus seconded. McManus highlighted the potential benefits of SROs in schools like the relationships children will develop with them before the board voted five to one to approve the item. Justice was the only dissenting vote.