By Corinne Murdock |

On Wednesday, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) unveiled a new program using off-duty cops to supplement the shortage of safety officers on campus.

Under this new program, ADE filled its school resource officer (SRO) force from 190 to 301 positions — despite the statewide officer shortage. Superintendent Horne said in Wednesday’s press conference announcing the new program that an increase to SROs was one of his main priorities. 

Horne said that the state’s police officer shortage initially posed a problem to the SRO increase. That meant that the fully-funded SRO positions had no officers to fill them. To work around this issue, Horne explained that the ADE contracted with Off Duty Management (ODM), which enables law enforcement to pick up off-duty shifts.

Horne credited Mike Kurtenbach, head of ADE’s school safety division and former Phoenix Police Department assistant chief, for the idea. Horne noted that their arrangement with ODM ensures full coverage at schools.

“We don’t involve partial coverage. The nightmare is that some maniac walks into a school and kills 20 kids — this has happened in other states and could happen here — and there’s no one there to protect the kids,” said Horne.

ODM President Bryan Manley thanked ADE for engaging in an “innovative” approach, the first of its kind in the state. ODM traditionally works security for businesses or venues, such as movie theaters.

Traditionally, SROs are fully-dedicated officers to a school that receive a minimum of 40 hours of training to work in schools. These ODM-deployed officers will be armed off-duty officers that receive a foundational 8 hours of specialized training from ADE for working in schools, on top of the 650 hours minimum of basic training to work in a police department, as well as field and on-the-job training. 

Horne noted that the city of Phoenix has declined to participate in the SRO arrangement. Phoenix police force shrank last week to 2,561, according to Kurtenbach. As such, law enforcement from surrounding areas like Peoria will have ODM-deployed officers for Phoenix-area schools.

In response to reporter queries about parental concerns of increased arrests or intimidation of students, Horne said that the officers would provide order and a feeling of security — not fear. The superintendent said that those upset that some students may be arrested on campus were perpetuating the idea that “it’s okay to break the law without consequence.”

“This will allow us to provide a safe environment for more of our schools,” said Horne. “People should not be afraid of the police officers. The police officers are there to protect us. Without the police officers, we would have no civilization.” 

Horne paraphrased 17th-century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes to supplement his claim, noting that civilized societies have a healthy and appreciative relationship with their law enforcement.

“Life becomes ‘solitary, nasty, brutish, and short’ if we don’t have police officers to protect civilization. It’s a very bad attitude to have a negative attitude toward police officers,” said Horne. 

Recent student shooting threats have concerned students who have brought guns to campuses at Bostrom High School, Linda Abril Educational Academy, Maryvale High School, and North High School (Phoenix Union High School District); Kyrene de la Estrella Elementary School (Kyrene School District); and Desert Ridge High School (Gilbert Public Schools).

John Croteau, Dysart Unified School District superintendent, expressed gratitude for the ADE’s “creative” expansion of SROs.

“Safety is one of the most important things, if not the most important thing we can provide in education,” said Croteau. “We know that our students won’t learn if our students don’t feel safe, and that goes for the employees and staff [as well].” 

Troy Bales, Paradise Valley Unified School District superintendent, added that he looked forward to the further expansion of the SRO presence on campus through the new program.  

Watch the full press conference here:

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.