School Resource Officers will return to Charlottesville City Schools following a 4-2 vote at the Charlottesville School Board meeting on March 27.
CCS removed SROs in 2020, when the school board dissolved its memorandum with CPD in response to anti-police brutality protests that occurred that year.
Since the removal of SROs and return to full in-person instruction, school safety has remained a priority and point of discussion for CCS. While the board and constituents remain divided over the presence of SROs, the vote on the return of officers to CCS was scheduled almost a year ago in May 2024.
A timeline for adding SROs will be determined in consultation with the City, according to an email sent to families.
In the message, Superintendent Royal Gurley and the school board cite challenges with the current safety model—which utilizes school safety officers, but requires teachers and administrators to request on-call police support when assistance is needed. According to the board, this system poses a safety risk in critical situations, as a police officer would not already be on-site.
The decision to bring back SROs comes after public calls for heightened transparency surrounding violence at Charlottesville High School. Tensions peaked in 2023, when CHS teachers organized a three-day “sick out” following a series of student fights, prompting the school’s temporary closure.
At press time, CCS is in the process of developing an agreement outlining the new relationship between schools and the Charlottesville Police Department.
“The agreement must ensure that SROs operate within a framework that supports a positive and inclusive school climate, incorporates restorative justice practices and trauma-informed approaches, prevents criminalization of student behavior, and respects the dignity and developmental needs of all students,” the email reads.
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