Requested Information
In response to MPIA 20-276 and 20-231, various information was provided regarding Memorandum of Understanding documents between HCPSS and the Howard County Police Department.
Regarding the HCPSS management of these agreements which impact school personnel and student safety, the SRO MOU document governing School Resource Officers has a firm five year termination period, which coincidentally expires now in January , 2020, having first become effective in January 2015. Therefore, what is the HCPSS plan to continue using the SRO program without interruption, to keep our schools safe every day, with no new or renewal governing authority document in place at this time as the response stated this is now just under review? If a temporary document exists to continue to govern this program in the meantime, please provide a copy. Provide a copy of any documents related, or will the schools no longer have SROs protecting students and staff in just a few short days from now?
When comparing the 2009 Canine Scan MOU to the 2015 SRO MOU, it appears that while there is overlap with the tasks in the 2009 MOU, no update was made to align these two MOU or make them co-terminous, almost as if HCPSS forgot this 2009 MOU existed at the time while continuing to allow it to annually renew. Furthermore, there is a disconnect in that the 2009 MOU allows automatic annual renewal, seemingly "forever", without review as to its continued safety or effectiveness, and as confirmed in MPIA 20-231, without any recent training as to safe and correct implementation, whereas the 2015 MOU has a "hard stop" at 5 years (now coincidentally), and thus requiring review for continuation, and to ensure safety and effectiveness within the schools. Please provide meeting minutes during which the 2015 MOU was discussed and drafted and highlight any discussion therein where the 2009 MOU was mentioned, or if any discussion was devoted to aligning all the various MOU between the HCPSS and Howard County Police Department.
Please highlight in the revised MOU review procedures (referenced in 20-231) released in 2019 if any discussion was devoted to reviewing all related inter-party agreements (example- all between HCPSS and HCPD align at once) more frequently and simultaneously, to ensure continued effectiveness and consistent and proper implementation for the safety and protection of every person in our schools.
Regarding the HCPSS management of these agreements which impact school personnel and student safety, the SRO MOU document governing School Resource Officers has a firm five year termination period, which coincidentally expires now in January , 2020, having first become effective in January 2015. Therefore, what is the HCPSS plan to continue using the SRO program without interruption, to keep our schools safe every day, with no new or renewal governing authority document in place at this time as the response stated this is now just under review? If a temporary document exists to continue to govern this program in the meantime, please provide a copy. Provide a copy of any documents related, or will the schools no longer have SROs protecting students and staff in just a few short days from now?
When comparing the 2009 Canine Scan MOU to the 2015 SRO MOU, it appears that while there is overlap with the tasks in the 2009 MOU, no update was made to align these two MOU or make them co-terminous, almost as if HCPSS forgot this 2009 MOU existed at the time while continuing to allow it to annually renew. Furthermore, there is a disconnect in that the 2009 MOU allows automatic annual renewal, seemingly "forever", without review as to its continued safety or effectiveness, and as confirmed in MPIA 20-231, without any recent training as to safe and correct implementation, whereas the 2015 MOU has a "hard stop" at 5 years (now coincidentally), and thus requiring review for continuation, and to ensure safety and effectiveness within the schools. Please provide meeting minutes during which the 2015 MOU was discussed and drafted and highlight any discussion therein where the 2009 MOU was mentioned, or if any discussion was devoted to aligning all the various MOU between the HCPSS and Howard County Police Department.
Please highlight in the revised MOU review procedures (referenced in 20-231) released in 2019 if any discussion was devoted to reviewing all related inter-party agreements (example- all between HCPSS and HCPD align at once) more frequently and simultaneously, to ensure continued effectiveness and consistent and proper implementation for the safety and protection of every person in our schools.
Date Received
Status
Complete
Response Notes
Responsive to this request, per clarification you are seeking the record that currently governs SROs, staff indicates HCPSS and HCPD are working on an updated and modified agreement. Until that agreement is complete, the current agreement (previously provided under MPIA 2018-411) will continue in force without interruption unless either party mutually agree on changes.