ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Due to a shortage of staff, a police officer will not be stationed at Rock Island-Milan schools during the 2020-2021 school year.
The Rock Island Police Department is unable to staff two positions for the School Resource Office (SRO) program for the upcoming school year, Rock Island Chief of Police Jeff VenHuizen told the school board Tuesday, July 14.
The department, "has experienced a shortage of officers over the last year due to retirements and other factors that prevented candidates from attending the Police Academy," VenHuizen said in a statement.
VenHuizen said in his 28 years of policing, there has always been an officer stationed in Rock Island schools.
The school district declined to comment until a formal decision has been made.