Legislation that would require every public school in Virginia to have a full-time police officer on duty is expected to come before House and Senate committees this week.
Sen. Bill DeSteph and Del. Karen Greenhalgh, both Republicans from Virginia Beach, filed matching bills in the Senate and House of Delegates that would require each school district to set up contracts with their local law enforcement agency to staff every school with at least one school resource officer.
Both Greenhalgh and DeSteph said they expect their bills to be taken up in committee this week.
An SRO is “a certified law-enforcement officer hired by the local law-enforcement agency to provide law enforcement and security services to Virginia public elementary and secondary schools,” according to state code.
The bills state that any division that does not fully comply with the staffing requirement is ineligible for any grant or waiver from the state.
