The Peoria District 150 School Board unanimously approved an agreement with the City for police services. The move makes way to expand the relationship that started the second semester of last school year, after the state board de-certified District 150’s police force.
The Peoria Police Department will provide five juvenile-certified officers to work with the School Resource Officers in the district’s high schools and career center. Interim Peoria Police Chief Jerry Mitchell says the agreement centers on receiving a new Department of Justice COPS grant:
“If it’s not approved this is a one year agreement with us and District 150. So we would still supply the four officers that we committed to, but department wise to make this work we need a fifth officer assigned just for scheduling purposes. Now if we do get the COPS grant obviously we would increase our numbers at the department up to five.”
The school district will pay the city about $270,000 for police protection in its high schools and career center. The agreement still needs the approval of the Peoria City Council. It takes up the matter at its meeting tonight.
NEW DISTRICT 150 BOARD MEMBER
Peoria District 150 has a new school board member. Jon Bateman was unanimously approved by the board to fill the third district seat. Bateman is a Richwoods High School parent and works for Caterpillar. The Board selected him to fill a one-year term after interviewing eight candidates interested in the post.
The Peoria District 150 is also working on its budget for the 2014-15 school year. District Treasurer Mark Wilcockson says he anticipates revenues being flat with increased operating costs. The District ran a nearly $6 million deficit last year on a more than $171 million budget.