Plymouth Police Suspend School Resource Officer Program Over New Law

PLYMOUTH, MN — The Plymouth Police Department Thursday became the latest law enforcement agency in Minnesota to suspend its school resource officer program.

It's the first time in more than 30 years that Plymouth schools will go without resource officers, the police department said.

The suspension will remain in place until a controversial law passed by Minnesota Democrats last spring is changed.

The law restricts officers from holding students in a prone position and other restraints:

Prone restraint and certain physical holds not allowed.

(a) An employee or agent of a district, including a school resource officer, security personnel, or police officer contracted with a district, shall not use prone restraint.

(b) An employee or agent of a district, including a school resource officer, security personnel, or police officer contracted with a district, shall not inflict any form of physical holding that restricts or impairs a pupil's ability to breathe; restricts or impairs a pupil's ability to communicate distress; places pressure or weight on a pupil's head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen; or results in straddling a pupil's torso.

Law enforcement officials in Plymouth and across Minnesota are concerned the new restrictions will prevent them from breaking up hallway fights and other school incidents.

"The way the law is written right now, we are unable to find a viable way for our officers to provide safe and effective service in the schools," said Plymouth Public Safety Director Erik Fadden in a statement.

"The law restricts school resource officers from effectively responding during incidents, which may leave students, staff, parents and officers vulnerable to undue harm."

During the suspension, the Plymouth police officers will continue to work with the Wayzata and Robbinsdale school districts to provide other school safety-related services.

But until the law is changed, school resource officers will be reassigned to the patrol division, the department said.

"The ability to physically intervene is necessary to de-escalate situations and protect students and staff," Fadden continued. "The changes in state law may make these measures illegal, and subject officers and police departments to criminal and civil liability."

Plymouth joins Moorhead, Redwood Falls, Hennepin County, Clay County, and Anoka County in suspending its school resource officer program, and the list may continue to grow.

Tuesday is the first day of school for most districts in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Republicans are calling for a special legislative session so the new law can be repealed.

"School resource officers play a critical role in ensuring school safety. But sadly, our schools are less safe today due to the Minnesota DFL's extreme, single-party control, and their zealous anti-police agenda has put students, teachers, and staff in danger," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman David Hann said in a statement.

"Governor Tim Walz and legislative Democrats should listen to the serious concerns raised today by law enforcement and legislative Republicans, who are calling for an immediate and brief special session to address this critical issue. I encourage all Minnesotans who support a special session to address this critical gap in school safety to contact their elected officials."

Since Aug. 14, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MPCA) has formally sought clarification from state officials on the law but has been unsatisfied with the response.

"Students, Teachers, School Administrators and Staff, and parents all deserve clarity on the expectations of what force SROs and agents can use to keep schools and school events safe," MPCA Executive Director Jeff Potts wrote in a letter to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

"We want to avoid any impacts on school and student safety due to the lack of clarity of the law and important unanswered questions. This lack of clarity has created enough concern that some Chiefs are now having to carefully determine the risk both SROs and students may be put in under this new law."

The new language was passed in the Democrats' omnibus education bill last session.

Ellison's office argues that the new law does not limit the types of reasonable force that may be used by school staff and school resource officers.