POLAND TOWNSHIP — Senate Bill 318 is on the move and should it become law, it will permit entities like Poland Township’s Police Department to enter into a contract to provide a school resource officer to nonpublic schools.

The issue came up last year when the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office informed Poland trustees they could not enter into a contract with a private, non-public school. The notice brought a quick end to a contract Poland Township police had with Holy Family School, which was in its third year of three years.

In February, Ohio Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, introduced Senate Bill 318 to restore the ability of township police departments to enter into a school resource officer agreement with a chartered, nonpublic school. Poland Township Police Chief Greg Wilson and Sgt. J.R. Jackson made the trip to Columbus Feb. 17 to offer testimony on the bill before the Senate Education Committee.

In the meantime, Poland Township is providing a police officer for Holy Family School without a contract. Wilson said protecting students is the number one goal.

“Holy Family pays for the school resource officer while the officer is assigned to the school,” Wilson said. “This includes the officer’s salary during the time they are working in that role. A law enforcement agency can provide a school resource officer to a nonpublic school without a formal contract; however, it is not the preferred or recommended practice. A formal agreement helps clearly define roles, responsibilities, expectations and liability coverage for both the school and the police department. Without that structure, there can be ambiguity regarding authority, supervision and financial responsibility.”

Wilson said agencies normally operate under a contract, or the agency provides periodic patrols and support rather than assigning a dedicated SRO without an agreement in place. Wilson and Jackson’s trip to Columbus was not wasted time. Cutrona announced in a news release earlier this week that SB 318 was approved by the Senate’s Education Committee.

“In this day and age, the safety of students at all schools should be the focus of every community,” Cutrona said. “Providing every school with the resources necessary to protect students will help deter wrongdoing and bolster security. I’m proud to see this pass favorably out of committee and look forward to seeing this legislation passed by the Senate.”

According to Cutrona’s Office, Senate Bill 318 now will be sent to the floor for the Senate’s full consideration.

“If the bill passes, it would allow the township to enter into a formal agreement similar to what we have utilized in the past to provide a school resource officer,” Wilson said. “Having that authority in place ensures that any SRO assignment is supported by a structured contract that clearly outlines responsibilities, expectations, and funding, which is important for both the township and the school.”