Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt says recent amendments to statewide school discipline laws is forcing the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office to remove its school resource officer from Rockford High School.
Law enforcement leaders across the state have criticized the changes, saying the laws limit what SROs can actually do to keep students and teachers safe in schools.
"I am a big supporter of school resource officers," Witt told WCCO Radio's Adam and Jordana at the Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday. "Me being a school resource office for six years, I know the importance of building those relationships, being proactive, that is something that we do need and it something that works well in our schools."
In a press release, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office state, "Agencies must weigh the risks of SROs operating under these changes with potentially conflicting obligations as a licensed peace officer in the state to act in the best interest of public safety."
Witt said no one wants to see students get hurt, but changes to state laws limit SRO's abilities to intervene, help people, and stop people from hurting one another.
"We're not allowed to our jobs," added Witt. "It does not work for what the statue also says we are to do which is to serve and protect. We can't protect. The law conflicts with itself."
Removing the school resource officer from Rockford High School was not an easy decision, according to Sheriff Witt.
"That was a hard decision because I think that is one of the most important roles in law enforcement. It's one of the best platforms to build those relationships with that younger generation. We talk about things that go bad, but what we don't hear about are how the students and some of the school administrators feel about having a school resource officer in that setting."
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Last week, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison clarified the changes, saying the laws don't prohibit use of force in schools, if used to prohibit bodily harm or death. He added that the new laws don't change the meaning of "reasonable force."
"That opinion clarifies that the amendments do not limit the types of force that may be used by school employees and agents to prevent bodily harm or death, but retain the instruction that force must be 'reasonable' in those situations. In other situations that do not pose any threat of bodily harm or death, the amendments provide that school employees and agents 'shall not use prone restraint' or 'inflict any form of physical holding that restricts or impairs a pupil’s ability to breathe,' among other provisions."
Witt said the HCSO remains hopeful that reasonable conclusions can be reached by the state so that deputies and officers around Minnesota are able to safely, and appropriately resume their roles in schools.