Rather than placing one Waukegan Police Department school resource office (SRO) at the Waukegan High School’s Washington Campus and another at the Brookside building, veteran SRO Brian Falotico will divide his time between the two locations.
The Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education voted 6-0 to approve a contract for SRO services with the city of Waukegan Tuesday at the Lincoln Center administration building, ending a four-week impasse.
After the City Council voted 8-1 on Sept. 3 to approve a contract for two SROs at a cost to the district of $260,000, District 60 Superintendent Theresa Plascencia said the schools would pay no more than $220,000.
Rather than pay the additional $40,000, the district decided to modify the contract using the services of one SRO — Falotico — serving both campuses for $130,000. Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said Wednesday she prefers two, but it is the district’s decision.
“This is what they approved, and this is what we’ll do,” Taylor said. “She (Plascencia) knows the school district much better than I do. I don’t get involved in the schools.”
Taylor said Falotico will be in the schools as soon as the contract is signed. As long as the changes to the pact made by the district do not require further City Council action, she said she will sign it quickly. If not, the council will vote on it at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall.
Starting negotiations with the city on July 24, no agreement was reached when school opened Aug. 12. Without a contract in place, no SROs were in the schools on the first day of class.
Negotiations continued between the district and city — sometimes publicly — until the council approved the contract on Sept. 3 based on its latest offer. Unwilling to pay the additional $40,000, the district modified the deal reducing the number of officers to one.
Board of Education President Brandon Ewing said at the meeting it is “unfortunate that it took this long” to reach an agreement. The safety of the students, staff and community overall is a top priority, he said.
“The reason we as a board are comfortable approving one (SRO) is the board put forth a good-faith effort and asked that we approve two officers at $220,000,” Ewing said. “The administration at City Hall was not open to that.”
Ewing left the door open for adding an officer. He said Falotico is the only officer in the Waukegan Police Department certified to work as an SRO. He said placing Falotico in the schools now is necessary.
“It’s very important we get him back in the schools as soon as possible,” Ewing said. “We can reevaluate this if there is a determination a second SRO is needed, and there is a qualified certified SRO available in addition to Officer Falotico.”
Taylor said a second officer in the department is set to begin training for SRO certification later this month. The officer could immediately begin serving as an SRO, as long as the training is completed within one year.
Board member Christine Lensing said safety is very important, but there are more elements to keeping the buildings safe than placing a police officer there. She wants to start the process for the 2025-2026 school year much earlier.
“It’s getting students access to resources,” Lensing said, referring to another element of safety. “As a school district, we have done a great job of trying to make sure students have access to mental health; that they have someone they can go to either in the building or through the Wraparound Center.
Caroling Fabian, another board member, also said an earlier start is paramount for the next school year. She suggested looking at circumstances in the spring, so everything is set before school begins in August.
“I hope once this mayoral election concludes and we know who our new city leadership is going to be, that we can promptly continue to review this process if the students and the families wish to retain SROs in our buildings,” Fabian said.
