East Wenatchee Votes to Approve Eastmont School Resource Officer

Eastmont School District will have a School Resource Officer (SRO) sometime next year after the East Wenatchee City Council voted to partner with the district on a contract.

Chief Rick Johnson said the data simply doesn't show that a school having an SRO creates a 'pipeline to prison' for troubled students.

"I would say even more so with the new (state policing) legislation, police are really going to be staying in their lane." explained Johnson, "The school will be doing to school functions and the police will be doing to police functions."

A new patrol officer will be hired to replace whichever current patrol officer becomes the SRO. Eastmont will pay East Wenatchee 60% of the $134,921 average cost for an officer, or just over $80,000 annually.

The one year deal can be renewed, but both sides are still hashing out the finer points on a cost of living adjustment.

There was no unanimous decision by the East Wenatchee City Council however, as Sasha Sleiman voted 'no' on the measure. Council Member John Sterk had been excused from the meeting.