PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – The Board of Education at Peoria Public Schools wants resource officers to staff all 27 schools, instead of some schools having to share the same officer.
The school board directed the administration Monday night to come up with a funding plan to hire about a dozen more officers at a cost of about $900,000 a year, said Board President Mike Murphy.
Most of the 32 officers are not armed, but some are licensed to carry guns, Murphy said.
Each of the high schools have more than one officer. Other schools might share the same officer, Murphy said.
Board member Gregory Wilson introduced the proposal. He said hiring more officers is an investment in school safety.
Wilson said it’s impossible to measure the positive impact officers will have on students and their families.
It’s not clear when the extra officers will be hired.
