The City of Renton, the Renton Police Department and the Renton School District have agreed to an interlocal agreement that places three school resource officers in the school district during a three-year period.

In 2013 the Renton Police Department loss grant funding, which resulted in the department losing money for its three school resource officer positions. At that time, the department chose an “adopt-a-school” program for officers to stop by and monitor schools along with their regular beats. It has taken until 2014, when a school resource officer returned to Renton High School, to get funding back for the positions.

The second school resource officer was placed in September 2015 and the third will start beginning Jan.1, 2016.

The school district is now paying the City of Renton $75,000 each school year, for each of the school resource officers.

District Safety and Security Manager Bill Blake is currently looking for additional school training for the officers. When trained, the officers will be familiar with all community agencies, which offer assistance to youth and their families such as job placement assistance, mental health clinics and drug treatment centers.

As detailed in the contract, school resource officers are not the school disciplinarians. They are assigned to “assist the principal and the District’s Safety and Security Manager in developing plans and strategies to prevent and/or minimize dangerous situations that may result in student unrest,” the contract stated.