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PPD officers in District 150 High Schools

Peoria Public Schools District 150 and the City of Peoria have a temporary agreement to put Peoria Police Officers in each of the district’s three high schools as well as the Woodruff Career Center. 

The move follows the district’s election to limit most police powers from it’s police force. A statement from the District says they will add officers at other schools if needed.

District 150 is saying the move was prompted by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Board. The District de-certified it’s police force last fall hence prohibiting the 150 officers from carrying issued guns off-duty. The standards board ruled as a result, the District 150 officers do not qualify to be law enforcement. With the Standards board decision the district’s so-called resource officers are not allowed guns at all. 

The district's resource officers are still performing security duties. The Peoria Police Benevolent is expressing concern about going into the schools that already have officers.  

Eric Ellis is the President of the Peoria Police Union. He says union officials were not consulted about the pending contract agreement and do not agree with it. But Ellis says they go where they are ordered. He says the fact they were not consulted in the negotiations may have also violated their collective bargaining agreement.    

A District spokesman says the district anticipates entering into a formal agreement with the Peoria Police Department to staff its schools, similar to the system used by other districts in the state.