Peoria Accelerated High School obtained a grant to develop and implement a school safety program. As part of the program, they have partnered with the City of Peoria and now have a Peoria police officer assigned to the school to serve as a school resource officer.

The officer began July 1 and the contract will run through May 31, 2020.

The school will pay the city for officer salary, benefits, and overtime up to $150,000 in consideration for services provided by the City.

The officer will work an 11-month, full-time assignment on campus. When school is not in session, the SRO will perform his/her regular duties as assigned.

SROs provide services for schools, the community, and patrol officers on the street. SROs make schools better neighbors by assessing the impact they have on the surrounding neighborhoods. This, in turn, creates a positive approach to promoting public safety and awareness. By assigning a police officer to the school, it promotes a positive partnership with the Peoria Accelerated High School, the students, and the Peoria Police Department.

The assigned officer will build relationships with students, parents, and staff to promote a positive image of law enforcement. The officer will also provide classroom law-related education, participate in campus activities and events, provide social service referrals, provide a visual deterrence to crime, and collaborate with the school on safety strategies, assessments and trainings. The officer will also provide police services to include identifying students with high truancy rates, investigating school-related criminal incidents and child abuse incidents, and taking appropriate enforcement action when needed.