Lewiston board approves school police reduction
LEWISTON, Maine Sept 9 2020— The Lewiston School Committee voted 5-4 Monday night to approve a proposal to cap the number of police in schools and to discontinue the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.
The vote was held after nearly five hours of public comment, much of which highlighted a racial disparity within the community.
The proposal by member Kiernan Majerus-Collins called for a reduction from four to three officers.
Majerus-Collins told the Portland Press Herald, “We’ve budgeted for four school resource officers, but we’ve never had four. If this proposal passes, Lewiston will remain one of the most heavily policed districts in the state.”
The proposal calls to use the money in the budget for a fourth SRO to hire a restorative justice coordinator at Lewiston High School. Restorative justice is a way of resolving conflicts by involving parties in discussion.
The plan includes placing one police officer at Lewiston High School, one at the middle school, and a third at the Longley Building, the Dingley Building, or the Lewiston police station.
Apparently, no officer would be permanently assigned to any elementary school but would be available if needed.
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program would be eliminated. Majerus-Collins called it an ineffective program. Studies, including one by the surgeon general, showed that “it doesn’t work” to deter kids from using drugs.
According to the agreements made between administrators and police, the department would provide three officers to the school district, two resource officers, and one “program” officer to replace the DARE program.
Future hires would be trained by the National Association of School Resource Officers and would train with the superintendent or designee on child development, de-escalation, cultural competency, and aspects of school law.
