School Officer Program

In 2023, Peoria entered into a new intergovernmental agreement with the Peoria Unified School District, resulting in the addition of four new, full-time School Liaison Officers (SLOs) who rotate among all district elementary schools. Each SLO covers 4 to 5 elementary schools daily. Two more SLOs were added to the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. An additional Sergeant was also included in the SLO/SRO program.

The SLO elementary school program builds on the existing program where Peoria Police have a School Resource Officer (SRO) at every Peoria Unified high school. The program aims to provide security by having a police presence at these schools in case of an emergency and to foster positive relationships between students and law enforcement. The city’s objective is to assign a police officer to every school in the Peoria Unified School District.

Updates

The Peoria Police Department currently has six SLOs, five SROs, and two Sergeant positions. The additional Sergeant position is necessary for the School Resource/Liaison Division due to the increase in personnel over the past few years.

Background

Protecting children, teachers and school staff and giving them a safe and welcoming place to learn and grow is a shared goal of the City of Peoria and the Peoria Unified School District (PUSD). In 2008, a partnership between the City and PUSD began with the introduction of the SRO Program. Police protection in schools continues to expand to keep students safe so they can concentrate on learning.