The Arizona Department of Education has extended its contract with Off Duty Management, a company provides off duty police officers with other jobs, through 2026.
In this case, they’re filling vacant school resource officer positions.
Last year, ADE granted funding to every school that asked for money to get armed, uniformed police officers on campus. But many of them weren’t able to fill those positions due to an officer shortage.
In what was supposed to be a short-term solution, the department hired Off Duty Management to temporarily bridge the gap. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne wanted lawmakers to pass a bill that would make retired officers eligible for the grant program, but that didn’t happen.
“I’m puzzled as to why it didn’t pass last year," Horne said. "You know, retired police officers could do just a fine job of protecting kids in the school and there’s no reason to exclude them at all.”
Under current state law, retirees cannot work as school resource officers. Some Democrats have argued those officers do not have the same certifications that are required for SROs.
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