LIST: Law enforcement agencies that are removing SROs vs keeping them in schools
Citing a state law that limits the amount of force a school resource officer (SRO) can use on a student, several police and sheriff’s departments are pulling SROs from schools.
The law in question prohibits any school staff members, including school resource officers, from using a “prone restraint” that would place a student in a face-down position or any sort of hold that “restricts or impairs a pupil’s ability to breathe; restricts or impairs a pupil’s ability to communicate distress; places pressure or weight on a pupil’s head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen; or results in straddling a pupil’s torso.”
Law enforcement officials and organizations have raised concerns that the law will keep officers from physically intervening in dangerous situations or otherwise face legal consequences.
RELATED: More police departments withdraw SROs over changes to state law
Law enforcement leaders and Minnesota Republicans have continuously called for a special session to change the language of the law.
RELATED: Minnesota Republicans call for special session to repeal change in school resource officer law | Law enforcement again call for special session on SRO law
More than three dozen DFL state lawmakers have also noted their opposition to a special session to change the law, while Gov. Tim Walz has said he remains open to a special session but signaled his desire to avoid that if possible.
Law enforcement agencies that have removed SROs:
- Woodbury Public Safety Department
- Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office
- Roseville Police Department
- Blaine Police Department
- Plymouth Police Department
- Alexandria Police Department
- Faribault Police Department
- Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
- Coon Rapids Police Department
- Moorhead Police Department
- Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
- Redwood Police Department
- Brooklyn Park Police Department
- Clay County Sheriff’s Office
- St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Anoka Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Champlin Police Department
- Spring Lake Park Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Maplewood Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- North St. Paul Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Wayzata Police Department
- Columbia Heights Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Mounds View Police Department
- St. Cloud Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Burnsville Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Pequot Lakes Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- East Grand Forks Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Mankato Police Department
- Willmar Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Brainerd Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Savage Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Prior Lake Police Department (According to Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association)
- Maple Grove Police Department
- New Hope Police Department
- Apple Valley Police Department
Law enforcement agencies that are have noted they’re keeping SROs in schools:
- Bloomington Police Department
- Dakota County Sheriff’s Office
- Lakeville Police Department
- Rogers Police Department
Schools that didn’t have an SRO program: