La Crosse committee reviews contract between police SRO program and school district, as well as public comments

One of the two biggest committees in La Crosse meets Tuesday, just over a week before the monthly city council meeting.

Part of the Judiciary and Finance Committee’s 6 p.m. meeting at the Southside Neighborhood Center will be to review a contract for three School Resource Officers (SRO) — and a DARE officer — to La Crosse schools over the next year, at a cost of $150,000.

The Judiciary & Administration Committee meeting is open for in-person attendance and will also be conducted through video conferencing by clicking here. To speak on an agenda item email cityclerk@cityoflacrosse.org or call 608-789-7510 (press 5).

The committee will review a 10-page memorandum (PDF) between the school district and the city’s police department.

Along with that, the committee will also take into consideration two letters submitted from those concerned with parts of that memorandum.

One letter (PDF) addresses that lack of clear language over accountability when it comes to police conduct with members of the SRO Program Advisory Committee, which is made up of citizens and community volunteers.

The letter points to recent history of police retaliating against feedback for the department without the department addressing these instances.

Another letter submitted (PDF) for the J&A Committee is from a parent of a student, also concerned parts of the contract.

They would like to see clearer wording about actions to protect the advisory committee, as well as how the police will respond from within the department if someone is retaliated against.

They also ask the committee how the school will recruit and support volunteers from “marginalized backgrounds without process transparency” from police.