School Resource Offcr Ltrs suppPage 1 of 2
Jeanne Schneider
From:"Larry Mitchell" <lmitchell@dubuque.k12.ia.us>
To:<patriciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>; <jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>;
<jmarkham@comemnergy.com>; <aemlO@mchsi.com>; <danielenicholson@mchsi.com>;
<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org>; <police@cityofdubuque.org>
Sent:Wednesday, May 28, 2003 2:16 PM
Subject:School Resource Officer Program
Dear City Leaders:
I am writing this e mail in support of a program I have fought long
and hard for in Dubuque Community and Parochial Schools; The School
Resource Officer program.
I know the difficult task of trying to cut budgets and determine
what is a priority. We each have to look at the whole picture and as
leaders make difficult decisions. Whatever happens, I understand and
accept. However, I feel I must fight for something that is close to my
heart......the safety of all kids and their teachers in our community
schools.
In over thirty years of education I have seen many changes in our
youth. Some of the changes have been very good and others very bad.
The horrors of Columbine and school shootings seem distant, however,
they can happen ANYWHERE.
We have been blessed to have outstanding SRO officers. Kurt Horch
is a natural peace officer who genuinely cares for others. I have seen
some remarkable work accomplished because of his contact with kids and
families. Each day, kids seek him out to get his help with what's
happening in their lives. He has more information on what's taking
place in our community than many others because of these contacts.
Imagine coming to your work every day and not feeling safe because
someone is harmssing you. Add to that not knowing what to do or where
to turn if it happens outside and then follows you into the workplace.
Just SEEING that police officer there makes a huge positive
difference. As leaders, we must look at ways to provide for a safe
environment and future. If kids don't feet safe in our community, where
will they turn? Gangs, guns, drugs and alcohol, and suicide are always
options for them.
I urge you to please save our SRO program. It's the best value for
our money. I feel so strongly that I will try to seek other funding or
provide some of my building budget if possible. Lastly, thank you for
alt you do in support of our community and our kids. I'm sure you don't
hear that nearly enough. Dubuque is a great place to be and to raise
kids. Your support is appreciated.
5/28/2003
Page 2 of 2
Sincerely,
Larry Mitchell
Principal
Dubuque Senior High School
5/28/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:"Susan Meehan" <smeehan@dubuque. k12.ia, us>
To:<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <patdciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>;
<jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>; <jmarkham@comerenergy.com>; <aemlO@mchsLcom>;
<danielenicholson@mchsi.com>
Sent:Wednesday, May 21, 2003 8:22 PM
Attach:smeehan.vcf
Subject:SRO Officers
City Council Members,
I am writing to express my most sincere plea to maintain the status
of the School Resource Officers as they exist today. The service that
these officers provide to our schools is extremely valuable to our
society. These officers provide such continuity and eousistency for
our children by being routinely visible in our buildings and are seen by
the students as both educators and police officers. They have provided
stability in times when children's fears were at their highest. Brian,
Kurt, and Becky were all available to support our staff and students in
the most critical time of need this year while Kennedy School was
dealing with the difficult tragedy of the Walker murders. These
familiar and friendly faces to our students were exactly what our
children needed to see while they were struggling with all sorts of
personal fears. Having the SRO officers visible during those difficult
days provided a real sense of conffort to our children. Brian Jobgen's
teaching within the classrooms in all grade levels at Kennedy have been
invaluable this year and in years past. His special training on how to
educate children on safety, smart choices, and being good citizens in
our society impact a much larger scale than just our Kennedy community,
but rather impacts all of Dubuque. They provide such a resource to our
students and staff not only in crisis situations with children and
parents, but also in a preventifive and proactive fashion through their
educational teachings in our buildings. I hate to even imagine doing
this job as principal without the support of the SRO program. They are
a vital resource that is called upon fi-equently by our buildings.
Please preserve their program and its funding.
Respectfully,
Susan Meehan
Kennedy School Principal
5/22/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:"Roy Hansen" <rhansen@dubuque.k12.ia.us>
To:<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <patriciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsLcom>;
<jschneid@dRyofclubuque.org>; <jmarkham@comerenergy.com>; <aeml0@mchsi.com>;
<danielenicholson@mchsi.com>
Sent:Thursday, May 22, 2003 8:45 AM
Subject:SRO Budget Cuts
Good Morning City Council Member,
I'm sure you are going to get many ideas regarding the budget cuts
facing the City. I want to share my concern with you regarding the
mentioning of cutting School Resource Officers (SRO) from the school
district. I am principal of Fulton School. We utilize the School
Resource Officer in many ways. We utilize him to do proactive work with
elementary aged students, hopefully helping students understand their
responsibility as a citizen of the community. We also utilize the SRO
in cases of students breaking the law. We have students who also break
the law in the community, and they, too, need the assistance of the
SRO. I have dealt with necessary police action in a couple of different
ways. First, I have called dispatch to get assistance with a student.
The officer who responds is typically a very fine officer, but has
little connection with the kids, and sometimes, the situation does not
get resolved successfully. I know that when I call in the elementary
SRO, the officer will deal with the situation very well. The key
reasons are:
1. He understands kids very well from working with us for a number
of years.
2. He has built up a rapport by giving 34 talks per year to
classes in our buildings.
3. He keeps careful logs about contacts with kids, so that when a
problem continues to arise, he knows how he has responded in the past,
and what he needs to do next.
You have a very difficult job facing you. However, I would
encourage you to think of the long range impacts of cutting school
resource officers. Our kids are seemingly getting tougher each year,
with more and more fractured homes. The SRO helps make a difference in
the future of the community, and hopefully will result in more
responsible citizen behavior as these children become adults. Thank you
for listening, and thank you for all that you do as a city council
member.
Sincerely,
Roy Hansen
5/22/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:"Brenda Konrardy" <bkonmrdy@dubuque.k12Ja.us>
To:<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <patriciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>;
<jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>; <jmarkham@cornerenergy.com>; <aeml0@mchsi.com>;
<danielenicholson@mchsi.com>
Sent:Friday, May 23, 2003 7:43 AM
Subject:SRO Officers
Good morning. My name is Brenda Konmrdy, and I am a teacher at Lincoln
Elementary School. I am writing in support of our SRO officer, Brian
Jobegen.
The preventative teaching he has done with our kids on the "what ifs" of
life has been critical in helping our kids see the big picture of how
their behavior effects all dynamics of their lives. He has been a
crucial and stable ]ink for teachers to use to teach children the
consequences of the choices they make. Many times, and more often than
ever, children are exposed to much illegal activity, (drug usc,
violence, theft, etc.) but they do not see the true ramifications of
this type of decision making.
In addition, many of our families have had many negative interactions
with the police deparmaent, but this type of positive interaction with
Brian lets kids know the tree purpose of our officers. These are just a
few benefits that we receive from having an SRO officer available to
us. On a more individual note, I teach in Lincoln's behavior program.
On more than one occasion, I have needed the assistance of the SRO
officer to intervene with one of my students. To be effective doing
what I do, I have to be very skilled in knowing when to pull appropriate
interventions. Having the resource of the SRO officer is very important
to my ability to meet my students needs. It enables me to be
preventative when I sense something is happening and also gives me
critical back up when a crisis occurs.
In a time when budgets are being cut, resources are being pulled, and
our kids aren't getting any easier to teach to become productive members
of our society, please do not pull this resource. It is a lifeline that
those of us that work with our neediest children need. Thank you for
your time!
Brenda Kourardy
Behavior Program
Lincoln Elementary School
5/23/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:"Donna Loewen" <DLoewen@dubuque.k12.ia.us>
To:<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <patriciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>;
<jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>; <jmarkham@comerenergy.com>; <aeml0@mchsLcom>;
<danielenicholson@mchsi.com>
Sent:Tuesday, May 27, 2003 8:21 PM
Subject:SRO program
To the women and men on our Dubuque City Council:
I am the principal at Lincoln School, writing to ask your support for the School Resource Officer
position in our schools. The presence of this officer is so positive, so helpful, so essential! It ispositive
for students learn the role of a police officer in the community; they learn the helping nature of
community police work and they learn to trust in other officers through the relationship built with the
SRO. It is helpful as the SRO gives a presentation three times each school year to students in grades K-
5, teaching about safety, respect, consequences, etc. It is essential when laws are broken, safety of
students or staff is compromised, "what if" scenarios are presented by a law enforcement official, and in
many other situations in our school settings.
Schools are simply a microcosm of society, and all of the ills evident in society are present in our
schools. Most of the work done by SROs is preventive, and we want that stance to continue. The
presence of SROs in our schools helps to keep minor problems from becomming bigger ones, prevents
some crises from occurring, and provides assistance when students engage in harmful or unlawful
activity. Please help to retain these positions in our schools. Their presence helps to assure the
development of good citizenship in our students.
Appreciative of your consideration,
Donna Loewen
Principal, Lincoln School
5/28/2003
To: All City Council Members Date: 5-22-03
City of Dubuque
From: Duane T. Frick
Principal, Jefferson Junior High School
Re: SRO Position
These are difficult times, with limited resources, and difficult decisions. I would, however,
encourage you to take a strong look at maintaining the SRO positions. The value of tiffs resource
to the school, to the police and to the community is immeasurable.
All of us can recall the days when we were in school, but the only way to truly appreciate the
value of these positions would be to shadow or walk in their (the SRO) shoes for an extended
period of time. Our school climate in Dubuque is positive, mainly because as a community we
have made lmrd decisions to commit the necessary resources to ensure this climate. A positive
response to this issue would maintain the current status. One would hope that the economy will
turn around, and that at some point in the future, you might be able to give consideration to
expanding this program.
School cYunate is an integral part of maintaining a community climate where firms want to
relocate, businesses would want to expand, etc. Help mainta'm the status of Dubuque as a "KEY
CITY". Hopefully, "KEY CITY" is not just a geographic concept, but a strong indication of a
positive and attractive image that draws others to our community.
Thank you for your consideration.
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:"bentleyrm" <bentleyrm@email.msn.com>
To:<rbuoll@mchsi.com>; <patHciacline@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>;
<jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>; <jmarkham@comerenergy.com>; <aem10@mchsLcom>;
<danielenicholson@mchsi.com>
Sent:Monday, May 26, 2003 9:15 PM
Subject:police force
Dear councilmen and councilwomen,
I very. rarely write to voice an opinion, but I feel so strongly about the importance of our School
Resource Officers. I am a counselor at Lincoln Elementary School and use the services of our SRO
at least weekly. Brian Jobgen is our SRO and does a fine job. He has come to our aid so many
times; when we have had volatile parents, when we have had physically agressive students, when
we need to file charges, when we need supervision on our playground because of non-Lincoln
students affer school, and when we need to ask about a point of law, to name a few. Recently I
have been so encouraged because it truly feels to me that our community and our school system
have been working together to do the preventive work needed to avoid bigger and more expensive
problems in the future. Please retain our SRO positions as you work to balance the budget. If you
need more information, please call me at Lincoln School (588-8338) or e-mail me
mbegtley@dubuque.k12.ia.us. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bentley
5/28/2003