Austin ISD discusses plans to add more officers
Published: Fri, 08/11/23
Austin ISD discusses plans to add more officers
Austin ISD police patch
(KXAN photo: Chris Nelson)
KXAN
by: Daniel Gravois
Posted:
AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees heard a recommendation Thursday night to beef up security at campuses district-wide.
Dr. Jacob Reach, AISD’s Chief of Governmental Relations & Board Services, recommended the board name one school police officer per campus with the discretion for potentially adding two school police officers for some campuses depending on size and student population.
Districts across Texas have to comply with House Bill 3. It requires an armed officer on every campus. With the passage of the state’s latest school safety bill, House Bill 3, lawmakers handed districts new requirements to place one armed officer on every school campus and bring campuses up to new safety standards.
AISD already has more than 80 officers for about 116 district schools. It is looking to add 70 more officers ahead of the law taking effect in September.
The law allows for school boards to claim a good cause exemption if the district can’t find the funding or personnel to comply with the law, but the district has to come up with an alternative plan.
Some districts KXAN spoke with are struggling to come up with the money and personnel to comply with the new law.