MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Muskogee City Council voted April 28 to negotiate a new contract with two current school resource officers beloved by much of the Hilldale Public Schools community.
City Hall and the police department have worked together over the years to provide the two resource officers despite the police chief's staffing concerns.
- Previous coverage >>> Staffing shortage to blame for plan to pull Hilldale school resource officers
During the city council meeting, Chief Johnny Teehee reasserted his request to reduce school resource officers.
"To say that they're living with officer burnout on a day-to-day basis is a huge understatement," Chief Teehee said. "When officers are pushed too far, mistakes happen. When those mistakes happen, we begin to lose trust. Trust erodes within our community."
The chief did offer a compromise of leaving one officer on duty with Hilldale, citing a better turnout of final candidates for this year's class of new officers.
"We need (our elementary school officer," paraprofessional Robin Crabtree told 2 News before the meeting. "We need him during the day. Staff feel safer with him there. I know the kids feel safer."
Crabtree said both are cherished and trusted on the campuses and should not be removed or replaced no matter what. Her stance was joined by more than two dozen teachers and students who spoke to the council during the meeting's public comment portion.
"You might as well hit factory reset," band director Tad Clark said. "Because there's nobody you're going to bring in that that are gonna know these kids, that have known these kids since they were in kindergarten, that know their families and know their situation."
"A reset sets us back ten years and we lose all that," district superintendent Erik Puckett said. "It ain't about money. It's about the two people doing it right now."
The appeals brought emotional reactions from both speakers and councilors alike.
Mayor Patrick Cale and the council then voted to work a new contract between the officers and incoming city manager Kendal Francis starting May 5, with hopes in keeping both men assigned to the district's two campuses.
"I just want you (all) to realize it's tough all around, but we'll try our best to make things work out," Mayor Cale said to attendees at the conclusion of the vote.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
